For Love's Sake
by Bexteron
Summary: Cupid enlists the help of his mother, Aphrodite, to maintain love in the mortal realm when his bow breaks. Meanwhile for Xena and Gabrielle, a visit to a mysterious town to help a friend will uncover secrets, alter their beliefs and challenge their friendship. **Some use of strong language/violence and sexual situations. X&G**
1. Cupid's Bow

**Disclaimer:** Hello. This is my first Xena Fanfic so please go easy on me as I roll with it. I was and still am a massive fan of the series so the last thing I want to do is cause any injustice or offend anybody's views of the characters/story. I am aware I don't own any of the characters, their likeness or the rights to the show. This is simply for fun. Some elements were inspired by a fanfic written by Silvermoonlight GJ which inspired me to start this (Thank you :) **Note:** The story is based between the seasons 3 and 4.

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><p><em>Cupid's Bow<br>_

Aphrodite lounged back in her chaise, watching as her entertainment left the room, picking up his clothes that had been flung across the floor in a what had been and explosive night on the way out. She lifted a hand behind her head and used the other to wiggle her fingers at the handsome young man as he closed the door gently behind him, keeping his smile visible to show that he was pleased and secretly hoped for a repeat. They all did. They all wanted more.

But Aphrodite rarely allowed her 'visitors' to become a regular occurrence. She liked to keep it mixed up to prevent herself from falling into a tedious monotony. What was the old cliché? There's more fish in the sea? Well Aphrodite always liked testing the waters. It kept her mind occupied when she had no work to do. Like last night she'd appeared before a scruffy young man who'd been down on his luck. Aphrodite had watched as he'd lost his job and his lover had dumped him for his boss. She had taken pity on him and slaked her thirst for a distraction in one by showing him his worth by tidying him up and by showing him the love of the goddess. He awoke a new man, brimming with good looks, charm and confidence. It did her heart good to know she'd helped a mortal and got something out of it herself.

Sometimes being the goddess of love was great; the perks, the powers, the unending line of lovers and immortal life. But with immortality came eternal boredom and Aphrodite regularly found herself lying about her room from time to time suffering unbelievably painful bouts of boredom.

Aphrodite sighed loudly, wriggling until she was fitted snugly into her chaise and closed her eyes. But she didn't have long to relax because she felt his presence. She knew who it was before she heard him speak.

"What do you want, Cupid? Can't you see mommy's trying to get some beauty sleep?"

She heard him chuckle. "Are you fishing for compliments? You know you don't need it."

Yes, she knew that she was eternally beautiful but she liked hearing it nonetheless. Her mouth stretched into a smile. "Sounds like somebody wants something from me."

Cupid's tone sounded surprised. "How do you _always_ know?"

"I'm your mother. It's my job to know." She opened her eyes slightly and smiled at his expression. "Don't frown, Cupid. You'll ruin your pretty face with those ugly lines."

He scowled. "I'm not pretty. Don't say that. It's emasculating." As if to feel more masculine he stood up straight and puffed out his muscular bare chest.

Standing six feet tall, Cupid was an impressive specimen of the male species. His body was powerfully built; filled with unerring strength and power, but his strong appearance couldn't hide the softness and gentle soul that was visible through his eyes that came with having love as an occupation.

"Whatever." Aphrodite waved her hand uncaringly. "What did you come for? Unless," she sat up suddenly, noticing that he'd styled his hair differently today. His blonde curls had been slicked back and his feathers looked particularly pruned and tidied. Even his clothes looked extra nice. He was wearing new sandals. "Have you finally decided to have another baby? Have you dressed yourself up to woo Psyche again?"

Cupid's head fell back as he let out a loud, exuberant laugh. "Right mom, like that's going to happen."

Now it was time for Aphrodite's turn to scowl. "Don't laugh at me. I just want to see you happy." She crossed her arms tightly over her chest and turned to look out of her window.

Cupid quietened realizing that he might have actually hurt his mother's feelings. He looked at her and saw that despite all the scolding to keep him from frowning, her face was screwed up in annoyance. He smiled gently, coming to kneel by her so that their heads were level.

He touched her shoulder. "I'm sorry, mother. I was just jesting." He brushed his hand through his hair, letting out a puff of air between his lips. "You know Psyche and I haven't been thinking about that, mom. Bliss is too much to handle and he's just _one_ baby. We're not ready for another just yet. And besides I've been too busy with work."

Aphrodite looked at him then, surprised. "You're still trying with the kings?"

Cupid shook his head. "Nah, that worked itself out in the end. Even without my arrows. It turned out that the kings _wanted_ their children to fall in love because they wanted to join the kingdoms, but made it look as though they were fighting so that their children would keep meeting in secret."

Aphrodite's eyes grew larger. "The kings knew about their children meeting?" she twisted one of her platinum blonde curls around her finger as she looked into thin air. That was very smart. Too smart for a mortal, she pondered to herself.

The prince of Celosia had had no interest in the princess of Smantra until their kingdoms had started 'fighting'. She'd heard nearly every day about the progress of Cupid's 'mission' to make the prince and the princess to fall in love, but for some reason had found it hard. He'd expressed his worry that his arrows had become powerless because when he'd shot them with them, they'd seemed to have no effect. Aphrodite could understand his stress. For him to think that the very thing that required his being didn't work, only to find out after all his efforts that they were already in love must have been frustrating to say the least.

"Seemed I was unwittingly outdone by the humans. I think that I shouldn't have perceived them as blind to love as I'd originally thought." Cupid shrugged and then looked at the floor, suddenly feeling like a child. "They'd seen more with their mortal eyes than I could with my own."

"What's this, Cupie?" Aphrodite smiled, putting her finger under her son's chin so she could lift his face and hopefully wipe the concern from his thoughts. "What's my boy _really_ worried about?"

Cupid averted his eyes. He didn't want his mother to see the weakness and doubt he felt in his soul. "I'm not sure, but, maybe it's coming close to the time of the foretold prophecy?" he felt his mother's finger drop from his chin and looked at her. He saw the anxiety in his mother's pale blue eyes and felt a twinge of guilt for making her worry.

He reached out and held her hand. "What I mean is, maybe the humans are becoming more…_able_." Cupid said for lack of a better word. "Think about it, mother. If they are able to find love without guidance from the very source, then maybe they can figure other things out for themselves too? What if they don't need us anymore?"

Aphrodite stood from her chaise. It no longer felt comforting to her. Even her son's own reassuring touch felt as cold and stony the fear that had settled in the pit of her stomach. She walked to the window and looked out, watching the mortals as they passed without as much as a glance in the direction of her temple. It irked her to think that what Cupid had said had some truth in it though she didn't want to admit it.

Over the past decade she'd felt the prayers and wishes from the mortals dwindling and becoming less and far in between. It seemed to Aphrodite that the mortals were becoming less interested in asking for her help and guidance and chose venturing out to look for love themselves. She hadn't thought that there was any harm as they were still finding love and thus empowering her, but the lack of work had worried her and made her feel unimportant and…_needless_.

_What if they don't need us anymore?_

Cupid frowned. He wanted to hit himself. Why did he have to mention the prophecy? It always threw every god and goddess he mentioned it too into a panic. He should've known to keep him mouth shut instead of bringing it up to his mother. Despite her ostentatious persona he knew she was just as sensitive as any other woman, mortal or immortal, that he'd come across. But despite his regret over mentioning it, he couldn't help but think of it. It was prophesised by the fates that there would come a time where the gods would no longer be needed. What if the time was drawing closer quicker than any of them realized?

Even if it were true then it didn't matter to Cupid. He knew that he would continue doing his job, right up until the last moment where he would pierce a heart with his arrow of everlasting and eternal love to ensure that love, in its most pure and truest form still existed in the world.

He rose to his feet, straightening out beside his mother. "Mom?"

Aphrodite looked up at her son and was surprised to see happiness and amusement in his eyes. She couldn't help but smile. "What are you so happy about, Cupie?"

"C'mon mom, please, I'm not a toddler anymore. Its Cupid, not Cupie!" he supressed the need to frown at his mother's pet name for him as a baby and put his hand on her shoulder. "I wanted to talk about the reason I came here."

Aphrodite had almost forgotten that her son had turned up for a reason. She had to admit that she was intrigued. He hardly visited unless he really needed to or each needed a favour from the other.

She moved away from the window and instead went to investigate the altar and started looking amongst the presentation of gifts and tributes left to her by her most devoted of followers and believers. She grabbed a handful of grapes and popped one into her mouth. "Shoot." She said.

Cupid rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. "That's the thing. I can't."

Aphrodite raised a perfect eyebrow at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well you already know about the two king's pretend war and the wanted secret love? Well you can understand my frustration over hearing that I'd been unintentionally duped. I used all my arrows and…well, I accidentally broke my bow." He finished quietly, looking away.

Aphrodite almost choked on the grape she had in her mouth. She grabbed a goblet and quickly filled it with wine. "_What_?" she rasped after taking a generous drink. "You _broke_ your…how can you? How is that even possible? The bow was created for you by Hephaestus. How could you break it?"

Cupid stomped his foot, feeling very much like a child being told off. "Look, it was an accident, okay? I didn't mean to do it. Here, look," he lifted his hand in front of him and Cupid's bow appeared in the air before them. He grabbed it and laid it in both his hands.

Aphrodite looked over the bow, and despite that she was angry that he'd broken it, she was impressed that he'd even been able to seriously damage one of Hephaestus's weapons. She could imagine the look on his face when he finds out. He'd boasted the talent of forging the most powerful, indestructible weapons known in existence. It would do him good to be taken down a peg by his own shoddy work.

The bow itself looked in pitiful shape. It looked as though it had been run over by Zeus if he were able to transform into centaur and then throw a handful of his lightning bolts at it just for good measure. The string had come out completely and was hanging on at one end as a bent thread; the grip looked as though it had been squeezed so hard that there were finger moulds in the decorated gold, and one of the ends had snapped completely off, leaving a clean break.

"Yikes, Cupid. What happened to make it look so beat up?"

Cupid rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. He didn't know how much to say to his mother. He didn't even know what had happened himself. He shrugged. "I have no idea. One moment it was working, I was doing my job, and then the next – SNAP! The end came off and it felt as though the gold was melting in my grip."

In truth the experience had frightened Cupid a little. The bow had been his constant companion through his job. And now, looking down on the twisted and broken metal, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness knowing that he was the cause of its bad shape. He could remember still feeling irritated about not knowing the king's secret plot and later, whilst he'd been trying to take aim at a teenager who'd felt the spark of attraction for a girl on the farm he'd been working on, his arrow had shot off in a different direction and he'd just lost his temper. Everything had started going downhill from there.

Aphrodite couldn't tell what her son as thinking about but she could tell however from his dark expression that he wasn't happy. She rested her hand on her son's shoulder and squeezed it gently to get his attention. He snapped out of it and looked up at his mother, his light brown eyes expectant.

"Cupid, it'll be fine, alright? Just go and tell Hephaestus to forge you another one. Maybe he'll make you another. I mean c'mon, that bow _was_ over a thousand years old. Maybe he has stronger metal….erm, stuff now to make you another? It shouldn't break."

Cupid smiled. "Yeah, I'll go and make sure he's not too busy first. You know how he can be. Thank you mother." He said to his mother over his shoulder as he left.

Aphrodite nodded, happy that she'd been able to help her son. She went and sat on the edge of her chaise again. She suddenly felt exhausted and couldn't understand why. She realized that she wasn't really as used to work as she used to be, but she quickly attempted to think of something else because it just reminded her of the depressing thought of not being needed.

She looked around her temple. It was too quiet. She always liked the quiet, when she wasn't too busy with her entertainment. But something about being in the temple by herself today just made it feel strange. She shook off the weird ominous feeling and lay back against her chaise once again, closing her eyes to attempt to get some sleep. Gods, she knew she hadn't had any last night.

~ X ~

Cupid half jogged down the steps leading to the forges of lower Olympus. He very rarely came to these parts. Not only because the forges were horrendously loud, but also because it was too close to Hades and the Underworld. Just thinking about the Underworld made his skin crawl. He couldn't imagine trading his job with Hades. He wouldn't be able to cope with it. To go from seeing love every day to watching people enter a place of eternal rest, knowing that they couldn't love just made his heart sad.

He turned until he reached a balcony overlooking the Olympian forges. Without needing to look, Cupid spotted Hephaestus working away at a giant anvil; lifting a massive hammer over his head and bringing it down hard against the metal, sending orange sparks everywhere.

"Hephaestus!" Cupid cried over the roar of the lively forges. Nearby, a lava geyser burst, spitting globs of lava into the air. Cupid leaned back and watched as the globs dropped to the sand and cooled almost immediately into a type of red rock that looked almost like a ruby or a diamond.

He began to descend the staircase. It seemed out of place to have a black tiled staircase in the middle of a blacksmith's but Cupid had heard that he'd requested it because of his deformity. Unlike the other gods, he lacked the ability to fly and hardly transported anywhere by using his powers. Cupid knew Hephaestus and apart from his own mother, considered him the most human of all of the Olympian gods, excluding Hercules who actually was half human and half god. He'd observed him over the years using tools and walking and talking the way that mortals did. He came to the conclusion that it had been the result of his banishment; lack of being around other godly individuals and spending his time forging had caused him to lose more and more of his godly prose over time.

Cupid put his hands together, cupping them around his mouth. "_Hephaestus_!" he shouted.

Hephaestus lifted the hammer again, swinging down against the metal to smash it as hard as he could. More sparks flew as the metal crashed against metal and almost engulfed him in an orange wave. He lifted his hand to shield his eyes, waiting until they'd gone before he double handed his hammer and lifted it again.

Hephaestus's ears pricked up suddenly. He thought he heard something over all the roaring of the fires and forges. He shook his head. _It was probably the geyser_, he reasoned. Nobody came down to the forges to see him. Why would they? After Hera banished him, most of the other gods and goddesses didn't even consider him a god anymore, just their blacksmith. Over the years the only one that visited him regularly was Zeus and that was only when he needed more lightning bolts. Since he'd recently been down, Hephaestus deduced that he was just hearing things.

Was he finally going crazy? After all this time working by himself, was he only just starting to hear things? Was his mind finally going? He didn't care if it was or not. He spent every waking moment in lower Olympia, working at the forges. As long as he was deemed fit enough to do his job, that's what he'd do until the end of existence. Seeing as he was immortal, he found he'd be doing the job for quite a while. He didn't care. It was what he was best at.

He gritted his teeth as he lifted the mighty hammer over his shoulders, over his head and crashed it down with such a force that even he felt the floor move under his feet. He was impressed with himself. Not only had his skill improved with centuries of practice, but he was extremely close to finishing the repair plates for his chariot.

"Hey, Heph."

Hephaestus started, dropping the hammer in mid strike. It fell near the anvil, its head burying deep into the sand. He turned, an insult and a planned list of profanities at the ready for whomever had disturbed him, but they all fell died on his tongue when he saw Aphrodite's winged boy standing before him, a nervous smile planted on his face.

"Cupid?" finally overcoming the show of seeing him, Hephaestus moved forward and pulled the boy into his arms, squeezing him in a bear hug.

Cupid felt his eyes were going to pop out of his skull if Hephaestus didn't let him go soon. He wriggled until he felt the metallurgist loosen his grip and finally let him go. "Yeah it's me."

Hephaestus clapped his hand heavily on Cupid's back, almost winding him. "What brings you down here, boy? You hardly ever visit the forges of Hephaestus anymore. Finally gotten bored of flying around and shooting people with those arrows, huh?"

Hephaestus laughed out loud at his own little joke. He'd always thought Cupid's job to be ridiculous for a man of his stature and position. He'd always believed that he should have been made to work with him in the forges, or at least a given a different job seeing as the forges were his own punishment; a punishment he knew was his own to bear for being born deformed.

He watched, intrigued, as the boy brushed his hand through his hair and then rubbed the back of his neck. He knew that gesture. He'd known Cupid since he was a little cherub so he knew when he had something to say. More especially when he had something that he really didn't want to tell.

"Well, the thing it, Heph…" Cupid trailed off, really not wanting to mention the broken bow to his friend. But he had to. He couldn't do his job otherwise. He couldn't allow the world to go on without love just because he didn't want to admit that he broke his bow.

He lifted his hand out in front of him and the broken bow materialized in his hands. He held it carefully as Hephaestus looked over it, all the while watching his friend's face for any sign of anger.

Hephaestus couldn't believe his eyes as he looked over the bow. It had snapped at one end and when he reached out to take it from Cupid, he felt his fingers slide into what looked like a mould of a hand around the grip. He turned it this way and that, trying to figure out how it could have happened. It was unheard of for his work to break, be it under duress of either mortal or immortal or some other force. He himself was the only one he knew that could remould his weapons or shape metal into whatever he wished. To think that there was someone else out there with the power to bend metal they way he could was worrying.

He felt Cupid's eyes on him and looked up to see a worried expression on the boy's face. He pointed to the broken bow. "How did this happen? Who broke it?"

Cupid bit his lip. "I did. But it was an accident, Heph. I didn't do it on purpose, I swear." He squirmed uneasily under the scrutinizing look that Hephaestus's was giving him.

Hephaestus didn't need to see to know that his own eyes were bugged out. He tried to maintain his composure and turned his face to look at his hammer still buried in the sand. "That's impossible." He muttered mostly to himself.

Cupid noticed the strange look that passed over his friend's features but he didn't press him for an explanation. Hephaestus wasn't like Aphrodite or Cupid; he wasn't one that could easily express his feelings or voiced his thoughts. He usually worked things out quietly to himself. Cupid often found him deep in thought during one of his breaks. He could see that now was not an exception. Cupid could tell that his friend was deep in thought. His dark eyes had a faraway look that told everybody else that he wanted to be alone.

He could take a hint.

Cupid patted Hephaestus's shoulder lightly. "Hey, do you think you could make me a replacement bow? The world isn't absent of love yet, but if I don't get back to work soon things will slowly turn to chaos." He chuckled.

Hephaestus looked up suddenly. He'd nearly forgotten that he still had company. "Oh, aye, boy, I'll get right on a replacement. It should be done in a week. Two at the most."

Cupid felt his mouth open. "Two weeks? Can't you make it sooner? In two weeks the mortal realm could become a feeding ground for sin and debauchery!"

Being banished to the forges made it hard for him to keep his cool, but Hephaestus rarely allowed himself to lose his temper with the boy. He was one of the few he reserved his temper with because he genuinely cared for him. But his mind was in too much of a whirl to think straight and he turned, red faced to glare at Cupid.

"Creating godly weapons takes time boy!" Hephaestus snapped. "If you think you can do any better then go ahead and try. If not then you have two weeks. You'll just have to find another way to keep love present in the world until you get your bow."

Cupid backed away slightly, confused about his friends sudden outburst. "I'm sorry, Hephaestus. I didn't mean to make you angry. It really was an accident." He said quietly. He smiled gently when he saw Hephaestus's frown fade and his expression returned to normal. "Don't worry about the bow; take your time to make it perfect for me."

Hephaestus felt bad for snapping at the boy, but he couldn't help it. It had just risen out of nowhere. He looked up at Cupid. "What are you going to do until I'm finished?"

Cupid crossed his arms and reached up with one hand to scratch his stubble in thought. There was one thing that he could think of though he didn't like the idea. But he couldn't be picky and he hardly had any other choices.

He sighed wearily. "I'll have to talk to my mother."

~ X ~

Aphrodite yawned and stretched, extending her body along the chaise. She always liked a good nap, no matter how short it was. She blinked furiously, lifting her hand to cover her eyes when a strange blinding light flickered through one of the temple windows. Annoyed, she turned over to try and get comfortable again but her attempt was to no avail. Now she was awake she found it difficult to relax again. Defeated, Aphrodite forced herself from the comfort of the chaise and started walking around the temple.

Her eyes drifted around the interior, over the furniture, the art hanging from the walls, the statues made to honour her. Aphrodite approached the statue closest to her and examined it closely. Her likeness had been carved into the smooth marble; the lines of her face and slender neck close to real life. She couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and rapture when she looked over her chest and saw that whoever had crafted the statue had been overly generous. She stood beside it and cupped her own breasts and then the statue's to compare sizes.

"Hmm. Not far off." She mused with a smile.

She continued looking around the temple and saw a mirror close by. Sparing a couple of seconds, she straightened out her curls, readjusted her filmy robe and checked her reflection, making sure to look really close to make sure she wasn't getting any bags under her eyes.

Aphrodite straightened when she felt his approach. She turned with a hopeful smile on her face. "So? What did he say?"

Aphrodite thought her son looked worn out. She didn't know how long she'd been asleep, but from the look on his face she could've guessed that she'd been asleep for a while. Cupid didn't look altogether happy, which made her panic.

"He said he can make me another bow."

Aphrodite waited, as if expecting something else. She gestured with her hands. "_And_?" she prompted.

"Yeah, he said it could be finished in two weeks."

"But Cupid, that's too long! The world could turn inside out if you don't get your butt down there and shoot the mortals. Y'know, with your arrows."

"I know which brings up the subject of my job. Mom?" he rubbed a hand down his face, dreading asking the question. His mother was known all over for creating love. Apart from him, no one else knew love better than Aphrodite. He shouldn't be afraid but he was. He knew that his mother sometimes got lost and started playing with love, creating unwarranted circumstances and unnecessary difficulties and problems.

Aphrodite noticed her son's hesitation. He just stood there, his light brown eyes doubtful. "What is it Cupid? Why do you keep looking at me as though I'm going to explode?" Aphrodite suddenly brought her hands to her hips, sizing herself up; she inspected her physique self-consciously in the mirror. "Do you think I'm getting fat or something?"

Cupid rolled his eyes at his mother's vanity. "No, mom. I need your help."

Forgetting her reflection, she turned until she faced her son instead. "_Ex-squeeze me_? You never ask for my help. It must be serious if it looks as though its causing you physical pain to ask me. Flattered by the way that you think I'm going to screw it up before I've even started. Typical…"

"Whoa, whoa, what are you blaming me for? I haven't said anything yet." Aphrodite waited with her hands on her hips. He sighed. There was no way out of it. He had to admit that he needed the Goddess of Love, metaphorical warts and all. "Mom, I need your help until I get my bow. I have backup resources; mini shooters and such, but I'll need you to help me spread and amplify the love for it to be effective."

Aphrodite turned towards the window where the blinking light was flashing through again. She was tired of having nothing to do. Tired of feeling unwanted. Helping Cupid wouldn't just be helping the mortals with their love problems. It would be helping her out of her work drought.

She smiled broadly, practically buzzing with the excitement when she thought of the opportunities that working with her son, Cupid; God of Desire would present themselves when mixed with the powers of the Goddess of Love.

She turned to her son. "Sign me up, Cupie!"

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><p><strong>Thank you for reading. Please review if you can. Constructive critisism is welcome.<strong>


	2. A Challenge

_**A/N: Hey readers! This chapter has been re-uploaded when I re-read through it and found some spelling errors.**_

"You're not going to make it." Xena crooned as Gabrielle passed her to line herself up for another jump.

"Thanks for the encouragement, Xena. The sun keeps flashing off your blade and it keeps putting me off." Gabrielle said as she went to stand on the patch of grass she'd worn until it was flat and shook herself to loosen up.

"Blaming the sword won't help you." Xena said but put her sword away anyway.

"Well I can see now" Gabrielle rolled her shoulders back and forth and then rubbed her hands together. "I'll get it. You'll see. I'll make it this time."

"But you-" Xena started but Gabrielle's hand stilled her protest.

Xena sighed and shrugged at her, giving up. There was no use trying to stop her from attempting the jump again for what would be her hundredth time today. Gabrielle was stubborn in her ways when she set her mind to something. Xena mused she was just like her in some ways.

She leaned against a nearby tree, crossing her arms as she watched Gabrielle take a running start before she leapt at Argo's back. But Argo knew what she was doing and moved, leaving Gabrielle to crash to the hard ground once again. Xena smothered her laugh with a cough as the young bard got up and dusted herself off.

"She doesn't like it." She remarked and Argo whickered in agreement. "And after flying at her from the sky I doubt she likes you anymore."

"Yeah, well, I'm not her biggest fan either. She's always had it in for me since day one." Gabrielle glared at Argo as she picked dry grass from her hair. "I nearly had her then too."

Xena pushed away from the tree. "Would you care to explain just what it is that you're doing to my horse anyway? What's with all the aerial attacks? I know you two don't get on but attacking her is just going a little overboard."

Gabrielle sighed and plucked her staff from where she'd left it lying against a tree. "I was practicing my getaway."

Xena raised an eyebrow at her. "Getaway? Am I that unbearable that you can't wait to get away from me? And to add insult to injury you want to steal my horse too? That's low, Gabrielle." She teased.

Gabrielle leaned against her staff and made a face. "_No_, that was not what I was doing. I don't want to leave you. Why would you think that?"

Gabrielle smiled up at the raven haired woman fondly. No, she didn't want to leave, nor would she ever want to. Xena was her family. She was like an older sister to her; someone that was always there and could count on. She'd saved her life more than once and taught her more than she could've dreamed of. Gabrielle couldn't bear the thought of just up and leaving. Just thinking about it made her heart ache inexplicably. She flicked her long, golden hair back over her shoulder and shielded her eyes from the blazing sun as she looked up at her friend.

Xena smiled. "I was just teasing you. I thought that after becoming acquainted with the ground numerous times you might need cheering up." She stretched forward and ruffled Gabrielle's hair, much to her dismay. "So, about this getaway then?"

Gabrielle smiled wryly, reaching up to brush the kinks out of her hair with her fingers. "I just wanted to practise jumping onto a horse without the all the hassle of trying to climb. Remember last week when you fought that warlord Darius? Well while you were busy with him, his men decided to chase after me and I lost my staff. I had to find another way to get away."

"Didn't I end up having to break you out of a cage?" Xena asked, thinking back.

"Don't remind me," Gabrielle pursed her lips. "If I knew how to get on a horse, preferable one that doesn't want to trample me whenever I stand near her, then I would have been able to help you and kept myself from being captured. Hence the practice."

Xena saw the look on Gabrielle's face and thought that it would be better if she didn't make fun. She had taken it pretty hard when Xena had had to break her out of a cage and refused to talk about it for days. She had come away unscathed but Xena knew it was her pride that had been bruised. Instead of talking about it, they'd sat at camp in silence while Gabrielle scratched away on one of her scrolls with her quill. It had killed Xena knowing that there wasn't anything that she could do until Gabrielle was ready to talk about it.

Gabrielle sighed and started twirling her staff. "I obviously lack the skill and height to jump onto a horse. It looks like the next time we get ambushed and I'm disarmed again I'll be doomed to be captured again."

Xena bit her lip, thinking of a way that she could try and cheer the bard up. She watched as her friend continued to twirl her staff around in her hands; doing tricks to cheer herself up. Then suddenly she had an idea.

Xena unsheathed her sword. "Hey, Gabrielle? C'mere a minute."

Gabrielle stilled her staff. "What is it?" her eyes flicked to the sword and then up at Xena. She held her hand up in surrender. "Look, I wasn't going to hurt her. You know I wouldn't do that. I was only-"

"I'm not going to hurt you. Just come here."

Xena gestured for Gabrielle to approach her. Feeling suddenly uneasy, Gabrielle eyes darted around the trees surrounding them, looking for any sign of a possible ambush. But she couldn't see anyone or anything out of the ordinary. So what did she want?

"You've gotten pretty good with that staff over the years you know. Maybe you might want to give using a sword a go?"

Gabrielle frowned. She didn't know where Xena was going with this. It was true; she had become skilful using her staff. Instead of it being a weapon, it was more of an extension of her body and using it had become second nature. She liked to think of it as her version of Xena's chakram. It was always there for her when she needed it, like Xena.

"Erm, Xena, you know how I feel about using swords or anything with a pointy end." Gabrielle said, eying the sword.

"Come on, there was a time where you couldn't wait to jump at the chance of me teaching you how to use a sword." Xena smiled remembering the first time she'd caught Gabrielle threatening a tree with it.

Gabrielle smiled too. "Yes, but I was just a child back then. I didn't understand what consequences of using a sword could be. Besides I think I could call myself a master of the staff pretty soon so I won't need a sword." She said, grinning broadly.

"Oh really? Master of the staff, huh?" Xena raised an eyebrow. "Want to test that theory?"

Gabrielle watched as she sheathed her weapon and instead started rooting along the edge of the treeline. When Xena picked up a couple of sticks to examine them and then threw them back with a shake of her head Gabrielle realized what she was saying.

"Xena come on. I just meant that I was good enough to use a staff so I wouldn't have to resort to stabbing someone." When Xena found a thick, long stick Gabrielle swallowed. She felt her confidence decreasing when Xena started spinning the staff nimbly around her hands and body and then set her feet firmly on the ground, facing her with a grin.

"Come on, Gabrielle. Show me what you've got." She challenged.

Gabrielle started backing away. This was crazy. She was good but she doubted she could stand up to Xena for more than thirty seconds. "Ah, shouldn't we be meeting with Selena soon? She'll be waiting for us."

"She can wait a little. We've got a day left before she's expecting us." Xena took a step forward, flourishing the stick.

"Okay, I admit it. I'm not a master."

Xena shrugged, indifferent. "So? I still want to try you out. I'll tell you what; if you can knock me down I'll teach you how to vault a horse."

Gabrielle looked over Xena's shoulder and saw Argo watching them. She was pretty sure she was making fun when she heard her snort and shake her mane. Gabrielle frowned. This was embarrassing. Even the horse thought it was funny. That was it.

"Fine, but no tricks." Gabrielle warned.

Xena raised two fingers together. "I swear it. No tricks."

Gabrielle twirled her staff in her hands, letting determination drive her, pushing out the apprehension as she planted her feet on the ground and held her staff defensively. She kept her eyes on the woman in front of her, watching her body language for signs that would tell her when Xena was going to strike.

Xena smiled to herself, glad that Gabrielle had stepped up to the dare. She looked over her stance. "Keep your knees bent slightly to retain your balance but don't lean your body too far forward." Xena advised as they circled each other. "Your opponent could knock you down with one strike to the face."

Gabrielle followed her advice and slightly bent her knees, making sure to keep herself stood straight and her eyes on her. She noticed Xena's foot move slightly to the side and suddenly Xena rushed forward. Gabrielle reacted a second later swinging her staff up protectively to guard herself. When their staffs clashed together the force of the strike nearly knocked Gabrielle off her feet. But she was determined not to seem weak in front of Xena and pushed back against her until Xena stumbled back. They circled each other again, both watching for an opening.

"Very good, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle's face lifted at the compliment but as she started to relax Xena rushed her again. It all happened too fast. She couldn't turn in time to stop herself from falling when Xena swiped her own staff behind Gabrielle's ankle and sent her falling backwards. Her back hit the ground hard. Gabrielle muttered a curse to under her breath.

"Never let your guard down, Gabrielle. That's one of the first things I taught you."

Gabrielle smacked the ground with her hand and jumped back up, ignoring the dull pain in her back. "Well I'm sorry. I didn't know you were going to charge at me like a Minotaur looking for his nose ring!" She spun her staff and lowered into an offensive position. "My turn."

Xena shrugged and switched to defence. She held her staff in front of her body, watching as Gabrielle's eyes worked out an attack. She knew what she was doing. Xena had taught her to read the signs of the body that unconsciously give away their intensions. Without having to move, a person could work out a way to beat their opponent just by reading the way they stand and breathe. She knew what Gabrielle would do even before she thought it herself. She recognised the look of hope in Gabrielle's eyes a second before she dashed forward brandishing her staff.

Xena lifted her own staff, effectively blocking Gabrielle's strike and rebounded it with one of her own, knocking her back. When Gabrielle charged forward again, Xena kept up to pace with her, deflecting multiple hits as Gabrielle started to become desperate. She could feel when Gabrielle was starting to tire because her hits became lighter and less forceful and there was no conscious thought into what she was doing.

Gabrielle didn't want to admit it but she was starting to get tired. Keeping up with Xena offensively was just as tiring as trying to defend herself against her. The muscles in her arms were hurting and her back was starting to throb. Not to mention she was starting to lose her breath. Xena on the other hand seemed perfectly fine and relaxed; not a hair out of place. She looked as though she was going for a stroll through a field rather than defending herself against an attack.

The thought frustrated Gabrielle. Why was she so weak? She practiced every day and yet, no matter how hard she tried, it seemed she would never be able to call herself a challenge for the warrior princess.

With one last shove, Xena pushed Gabrielle back, knocking her staff out of her hands. She twirled and clipped Gabrielle's feet again, sending her to the ground again.

"Ow." Gabrielle moaned.

Xena stood the staff up and bent down to offer her hand. "Are you okay?"

"My backside hurts." She said, rubbing said part when she rose to her feet with Xena's help. "I hope I'll be able to sit down later. If not then I'm holding you personally responsible."

Xena grinned. "For your backside?"

Gabrielle rolled her eyes and started looking around for her staff. "I'll get you eventually." She vowed. When she saw it laying a few metres from Argo she went over to get it.

Xena felt a prickling sensation and knew they were being watched. She felt it when Gabrielle had fallen to the floor the second time. Not wanting to panic Gabrielle, she let her go after her staff. Once she was at a safe distance, she unclipped her chakram and threw it towards the trees. As it sliced through the leaves she heard the sound of a branch breaking and seconds later a figure fell out of the tree with a shocked yell.

Xena flipped into the air to grab her chakram as it bounced off of a tree trunk and ran over to where the person had fallen. Realizing that he was trying to get up and rush away, she reached out and grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck.

Just when Gabrielle had picked up her staff she heard the unmistakable screech of Xena's chakram and turned around. She watched as a man fell out of a tree, landing face first into the shrubbery below. She joined Xena when she'd caught him before he could escape.

"Who's he? She asked Xena.

"That's what I'm going to find out."

At first glance anyone would have thought he was a warrior. He was dressed like one; his tunic was dark and tucked into is weaved brown material and leather trousers and his short sleeved jacket was baggy and hung over him like a cloak to obscure the short sword hanging from his leather belt. But Xena could tell he wasn't a warrior in any sense. In fact he wasn't even a full grown man. He looked as though he was still in his adolescent years.

He struggled under Xena's grip but didn't thrash out like any other warrior would have done when caught. "Let me go!"

"What's your name? Why were you spying on us?" Xena insisted.

The young man looked up at his capturer and frowned. "I won't tell you. You'll have to kill me."

Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other, surprised by his words. When she looked back at him, Xena recognized the look of determination and stubbornness in his dark blue eyes that she usually saw in warrior-wannabes. She tried to suss him out, to make him yield and spill the reason behind his spying, but when he didn't she shrugged. "Okay."

"Xena! What are you doing?" Gabrielle exclaimed, raising her hand to still the warrior princess's sword. "He's just a boy!"

The 'boy' in question glared at her. "I'm not a boy!" he spat. He looked her up and down and snorted. "I'm probably more of a warrior than you are. You're just a girl. I saw you get knocked on your ass over and over. Go back to your farm little girl."

Gabrielle didn't know who this boy was but she wasn't willing to listen to anymore of his attitude or insults. She understood that he was just angry for being caught and was trying to look tough in front of them, but it annoyed her to know that he'd seen her get embarrassingly defeated by Xena. She felt silly for letting what he'd said get to her but it hurt her pride.

Gabrielle scowled and let go of Xena's hand. "I've changed my mind. Go ahead."

The young man's eyes darted back to Xena and when he saw her unsheathe her sword, Xena felt him squirm fearfully in her grasp. She raised her sword above her head.

"I'll give you one last chance to tell me why you were spying on us."

The young man swallowed dryly but never took his eyes off Xena's. "Never."

Xena sighed exasperatedly. "Fine."

In one swift moment she brought her sword down and bashed the hilt onto his head, effectively knocking him out. The young man went limp in her hands and fell back against the grass when she let him go. Xena and Gabrielle stood and looked down at the boy slumped across the ground.

"I wonder who he is?" Gabrielle pondered aloud.

Kneeling down, Xena rummaged through his jacket. There was nothing she could identify him with. No papers or anything that would reveal his identity. That was until she moved her hand and she felt something soft and warm brush against the back of her hand. She grabbed it and pulled out a silken strip of material. It felt light and soft to touch in her hands and she recognized it straight away.

"Is that a handkerchief?" Gabrielle asked, taking it to have a look at it for herself. "It's got a nice sturdy quality to it. It seems expensive too."

Xena shook her head. "It's a scarf. Notice anything about its colour?"

Gabrielle stretched it out to uncover its full length and looked at it properly. "It's green and silver." Something inside her memory clicked and she looked at Xena. "Isn't that Darius's colour?"

"Yes," Xena pressed her lips together. "It seems he's not finished with us yet."

~ X ~

When Leandros awoke the sky was dark and the moon hung high above his head. It hurt to for him to look up because when he moved his head a terrible throbbing pain emerged and it took everything he had not to cry out like a weak child.

He looked around him, taking in his surroundings. There was a camp fire not too far from where he was; a circle of stones encompassing the low fire caught inside. In the flickering light he could make out the back of the head of one of the women who'd caught him peeking out from underneath some furs. He sat up a little, stretching so he could see over her and saw another bedroll and furs beside her.

He had no idea where he was or how far he was from the basecamp but he didn't want to stay here. From what he could tell he was tied to a tree. He tried struggling against the rope but it was too tight and he ended up stretching his skin painfully against the rough material.

Patting around in the dirt under his hands, he felt a small cluster of stones. He touched each one of them, testing them by pressing them against his skin to feel how sharp they were. When he felt one cut into his skin with its serrated edge, he decided to use it and started rubbing it against the rope binding his hands.

Moving his hands and positioning himself without making too much noise was proving to be difficult, because the pain from having his arms stretched around a tree trunk and trying to get free without waking his capturers was a painful task to endure. Leandros panicked a couple of times when he dropped the stone and he had to feel around for it again.

He knew when the stone had nearly cut through the rope because he could feel it loosening around his wrists. When he felt that it was weak enough, he pulled his arms apart with as much strength as he could muster and snapped the bindings. Leaving the rope, he rose to his feet slowly and quietly. He didn't want to wake the women during their slumber. It would only make his mission harder to complete.

Tiptoeing toward them, he carefully unsheathed his sword. As he crept nearer he tried to think about how to carry out the mission he was given effectively. He was closer to the little blonde girl but after observing their little sparring session, he concluded that the other woman posed more of a threat and decided to kill her first. Moving around the blonde girl, he made for the other woman's bedroll.

He felt a strange sense of foreboding as he approached her. It was as though the imposing warrior seemed dangerous even in her sleep. As he reached down to slowly pull back her furs and uncovered the sleeping woman, he couldn't help but feel that something about this was wrong. The more he tried to convince himself to carry out his duty, the more his conscious began to get the better of him.

_You're nothing but a weakling! Just a boy!_

The words echoed in his mind over and over like a mantra, mocking him and prodding at his insecurity. He shook his head to rid his mind of the taunts and lifted his sword above the warrior woman, his blood rushing, and adrenaline pumping through his veins. He had his chance to do it. He could bring his sword down and strike her right there, running his sword through her heart, but he couldn't. Something was holding him back from fulfilling his job.

Xena waited, watching through her half closed eyes at the young man. She planned to jump up when she'd seen him lift his sword, waiting until the last second to overthrow him. But curiosity got the better of her when she saw the conflicted look on his face as he looked from her to his sword and back again. He had his chance to run her through with his sword while she was sleeping, but yet, he didn't take it.

Her gut feeling had been right. This young man was no warrior.

Leandros sighed and started to lower his sword and instead kneeled beside the warrior woman's prone form. He didn't know why _he_ wanted her dead. He'd heard about the exploits of the warrior woman and her travelling bard companion and how they'd stopped him last week, but couldn't help but wonder if there was another reason that they had made them targets for Darius other than stopping him from stealing. It seemed ridiculous to him that Darius might want them killed because they had foiled his petty thievery.

Leaving the dark haired warrior, he turned silently on his knee to look at the younger one he'd insulted earlier. He gently pulled back her cover so that he could see her face and felt a jolt of surprise when he saw her face.

Leandros already thought that she looked young to him, but when she was asleep and her face was relaxed and peaceful instead of contorted in annoyance, she looked even younger and surprisingly innocent. He couldn't help but stare at her face as the flames from the campfire created shadows that danced gracefully over her beautiful, pale face. He chuckled to himself when she made a soft noise in her sleep.

Suddenly, the girl's eyes flew open and she sat up. Alerted, she yelled out and grabbed her staff. In mere seconds she flicked up her staff and hit him in the face, leaving him to fall back with a cry holding his temple and rolling around in pain.

"Xena! Xena _wake up_!" Gabrielle shouted, prodding her friend's bedroll. "He's trying to get away!"

Xena was up and out of her bed in a flash and had detained the young man before he'd recovered from Gabrielle's strike. Before he could react, Xena had taken him back to his tree and stretched his hands around the trunk again. He began to struggle against her once he'd got over the pain and felt the rope going around his wrists again. He yelled in protest as he heard her kick away the cluster of rocks beneath his hands. For good measure she even took his sword from him and dropped it near her bedroll.

Gabrielle rose to her feet, staff ready. "Do you want me to knock him out this time, Xena?" she asked, approaching the young man enthusiastically.

Xena reached out and grabbed her friend's hair, gently pulling her back. "No." she said simply.

"Xena, he was going to _kill_ me. Let me at least have the satisfaction of knocking him out so I can get some sleep tonight." She started toward him again.

Gabrielle wanted very much to show this young, arrogant killer that she wasn't to be trifled with. She'd been irritated with him when he'd insulted her skill and called her a farm girl, and had become even more wary of him when she found out that he belonged to Darius's gang. But now that she'd just witnessed him hanging over her, unsheathed sword in hand. She didn't want to leave him conscious now that she knew he could escape being tied up and sneak up to her. It annoyed her that she hadn't woke up before he'd approached her. She could've died.

When Xena stepped in front of her with her arms crossed and blocked her path to him, she looked up at her questioningly. "What are you-?"

"Gabrielle, let it go and get some sleep." Xena pressed.

Gabrielle felt her mouth drop open and tried not to get angry at Xena. "Excuse me? You want me to just go to sleep while that murderer is still awake over there! He escaped once, Xena. Who's to say he won't get out again and try and kill you next time?"

"He's not going to kill anyone, Gabrielle."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because…he could've killed me but didn't." Xena looked over her shoulder and saw the young man scowling at her from where he was sat at the base of the tree.

"It would've been too easy for me. I like a challenge." The young man insisted.

Xena smiled. "Right, that must have been it."

Gabrielle looked at the man too and then widened her eyes when the truth behind Xena's words sank in. "Wait a minute. You were awake? You knew he'd escaped from the tree and did nothing?" Her eyebrows drew together into a frown. "Why didn't you stop him before he got to us?"

Xena looked back at Gabrielle. "I had a feeling."

Gabrielle knew straight away why she hadn't stopped him and thought it was ridiculous and could've ended really badly for them both if her plan had gone wrong. She'd tested the young man and from the look on her face, he must have passed.

Gabrielle sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "By the gods, Xena. One of these days the only feeling you're going to get for pulling another stunt like that will be when your face meets the end of my staff." Gabrielle threatened as they turned their backs on the man and headed back to their bedrolls.

As she settled under her furs, Xena put her hands behind her head and smiled. "That's if you become a master of the staff like you promised." She teased.


	3. Helping

_**A/N:**__** I don't own the rights to Xena or official characters, but I do own Darius, Leandros and Selena and the places they visit. This is the first time I've introduced my own characters so I would love to hear back how they are received. Also, this chapter is dedicated to my best friend, Danny for always being there and for reading my stories when nobody else would. Happy Reading! :)**_

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><p>"How did you sleep last night?" Xena asked distractedly from the horse.<p>

"Like a paranoid rock." Gabrielle stretched until her arms popped. She turned her head this way and that to get rid of the stiffness she felt in her neck. "Y'know my back still hurts from yesterday."

"You should learn to fall better." Xena replied with a smile.

In truth Gabrielle had hardly slept at all. Despite being reassured by Xena that the young man wouldn't escape again, she'd kept her ears trained on him to make sure that he wouldn't try to get free again and kept opening her eyes every so often to make sure the wasn't hovering over her again with his sword in hand.

She glanced back and saw him stumbling after the horse, his hands bound together by the rope tied to Argo's saddle horn. He looked how she felt. She didn't know whether he'd slept as bad as she did or not, nor should she care. But she couldn't help but notice the dark semi circles under his eyes and the rapidly blackening bruise on his temple where she'd hit him with her staff. Regardless of what Xena had said about the boy, Gabrielle felt a twinge of satisfaction knowing that she'd been able to save herself and Xena with her quick thinking.

Leandros was tired. His feet were aching, his stomach was rumbling and cramping painfully and the side of his face was throbbing excruciatingly. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been hit like that. He thought back to his earliest fighting days where he used to spar with his brother and established that, only after his brother, did the young blonde woman come close to impressing him with her powerful attack.

As if sensing her watching, he lifted his head and saw her. She was eying him curiously. Irrespective of how he felt, he couldn't help but feel curious too about her in return. She looked so petite; her stature small and delicate looking in comparison to the dark haired warrior astride the horse. The hidden power behind her strikes betrayed her innocent façade. He couldn't help but smile at the irony.

"Xena, he's smiling at me." Gabrielle said carefully.

Xena first looked at Gabrielle's face and saw concern there and then glanced at the young man behind them. He was indeed smiling at her but Xena thought that it was hardly anything to worry about. It was harmless. "Good for you."

Gabrielle frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Xena looked down at her, grinning. "You've made a friend."

"I would rather not have a friend that would kill me while I'm sleeping thank you." Gabrielle said curtly and then turned to glare at the young man. His smile faded from his face and he seemed to wilt under her glare and he turned his head away to watch the trees as they passed them.

Killer or not, the young man seemed to emit a kind of innocence that Gabrielle couldn't quite understand. It was as though one minute he was attempting their lives and then the next he became a boy who'd seemed like he'd never hurt anyone before in his life. It confused her.

"How long have we got until we reach the town?" she said, trying not to moan that her feet were killing her.

Xena pointed to an incline in the dirt path. "Dreyas is just over this rise. I'd say we'll get there in twenty minutes."

"Good because I'm starving."

"Me too," Leandros shouted weakly to them. Both women's heads turned in his direction and he looked away again.

"Nice to see he's becoming more vocal." Gabrielle said quietly. "Maybe he'll tell us why he was sent to kill us."

"He was sent to kill us because Darius wants revenge for me stopping him from selling those slave girls and for cutting off his finger." Xena explained as they began to go over the rise.

Gabrielle looked at her, surprised. "When did you cut off his finger? I thought he had all of them when he left. At least, he wasn't bleeding when we left him."

"That's because this happened years ago." She sighed wearily and began to describe their first meeting. "It had been nearly ten years ago, when I was still known as the Destroyer of Nations. Darius had just been a fisherman when I'd met him. I had to get to Athens and the only way to do that was by marching through his village. I'd had a battalion with me at the time and some had become restless with the travelling." Xena looked behind her to make sure that the young man was still following.

"My men started fights and stole without me ordering it and when the villagers started fighting back things turned ugly. I had to get involved to stop my men but then it turned into an all-out fight when the rest of my men thought I'd ordered the attack. Darius was one of the men who tried to stop me."

Gabrielle had never heard Xena speak of this story before, but it always intrigued to hear about her past, however violent and colourful it was, because it was what had contributed to making her friend into the woman she was today. It gave her a better perspective and helped her learn more about Xena than she herself was willing to disclose.

Xena could tell Gabrielle was listening intently. When she looked at her friend, Xena recognised the faraway look in Gabrielle's eyes, as though she was envisioning herself and trying to put herself in her shoes to understand her better. Xena respected that of Gabrielle. That she could be compassionate and still find it in her to love them despite their faults and past crimes. Even people who had been as violent and malevolent as Xena herself had been in her youth.

"Like you," Xena continued. "Darius had been unskilled with a sword. I can tell when someone has never picked up a sword in their life, and he was one of them. He came at me swinging the sword and when I parried, my sword caught him and it sliced his finger off."

Gabrielle sucked in a deep breath and looked down at her own hands, making sure all her own fingers were there. "You didn't kill him."

Xena shook her head. "He was in too much pain to be further trouble for me so I left him. I pulled out my army after that. I haven't been to that village since. I don't even think it's there anymore."

"I think it's safe to say that Darius is after you for more than one reason then, aside from his finger." Gabrielle concluded.

"Yes." Xena sighed wistfully, regretting another part of her past that she thought she'd buried away forever, but like the rest of her misdeeds, they all came back with a vengeance to haunt her in one way or another. "Ah, here we are."

Gabrielle looked up and saw a grey stone archway at the end of the dirt path; a sort of blue ivy wound its way up and around the spiral columns. The rows of trees carried on at both sides of the path and seemed to surround the town like a natural wall instead of one made from stone like many other towns they'd visited in the past.

Once they entered the town Gabrielle became very aware of all the stares they were getting. She'd been around Xena long enough to know the different kinds of stares one can expect when hanging out with a warrior princess. There were the suspicious stares that came with being distrustful from rumours and stories that people had heard of them and the awed stares of fans that had heard of Xena and wanted to meet her. Gabrielle thought as she looked around at the villagers that the looks they were giving were neither. It was more of a palpable disdainful curiosity.

Xena cast her eyes around the town, ignoring the stares and instead focused on finding the tavern where Selena had said she would meet them. She had never been to this town before and found it hard to pinpoint the tavern's location, even on horseback, due to lack of defining qualities. All the buildings looked the same; all plain and dull.

She sighed in frustration and scratched her head. "It looks like we'll have to do a little search and asking."

"Don't you know where you're going?" Gabrielle asked, surprised.

"I've never been here before so we'll have to look for the tavern." She looked behind her and glanced at the young man. He looked as though he was going to pass out soon if he didn't get food. He was swaying slightly from side to side and looked paler than he had earlier. He wouldn't be fit enough to be dragged around town. It would slow her down.

Gabrielle couldn't help but notice how close to fainting the young man looked. Concern replaced suspicion and she went over to him.

Leandros heard dirt scraping under boots and when he looked up he saw the young blonde approaching him with a strangely worried expression on her face. He tried to open his eyes further so he could look at her properly but he couldn't. He knew that if he didn't rest and eat soon he would pass out. He watched warily as the girl raised her hand and he flinched away from her, expecting another attack.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to make sure you're okay." The woman said when he flinched away from her.

"Why?" Leandros asked, curious.

Gabrielle hesitated before answering. His blunt question seemed to throw her off and forced her to think. "Because I want to. Just because you tried to kill us doesn't mean I'm going to turn my back on you if you need help."

Leandros managed to widen his eyes further. "You are very strange." He said simply.

Gabrielle smiled. "I prefer the term interesting. It sounds nicer." She tried again, slower this time, to raise her hand. She saw him watching it but at least he didn't flinch away from her again. When she rested the back of her hand against his forehead her hand came away feeling hot.

"You're burning up." Gabrielle exclaimed.

Leandros looked at her and then around them. "Weren't we just in a field a moment ago?"

Gabrielle drew her eyebrows together. "Excuse me?" she watched him as he looked around; his eyes seemed as though he was looking at things that she couldn't see. "Xena? Come here, I think there's something wrong with him."

At Gabrielle's shout she hopped off Argo's back and approached them. She already knew that he was probably weak from lack of food, but when he stumbled about on the spot and glanced around them as if he could see something she started to worry that it might be something much more serious.

Xena reached her hands out and held his face, forcing him to look at her. When he demonstrated trouble focusing his eyes on her she realized that Gabrielle's knock to the head might have done more damage than she originally thought.

"What is it, Xena? What's wrong with him?" Gabrielle asked impatiently, trying to figure out why Xena looked so serious

"I think he might have a minor concussion but we'll have to speak to the healer here to be sure." Xena replied, heading back to Argo.

Gabrielle felt her eyes grow large. "Wait! What? A _concussion_?" she looked at the young man and saw the bruising on the left side of his temple had deepened in colour, turning a dark purple. She suddenly didn't feel so happy about being so ready with her staff all of a sudden. "What are we going to do?"

Xena bit her lip as she thought. "Untie him. He can't do any damage in his state. You can go and find the healer and then stay with him so you can keep a close watch. I'll find Selena and then when we've spoken, I'll come and check on you both." She looked at Gabrielle for confirmation.

Gabrielle didn't like this plan at all. It would mean separating from Xena and instead replacing her with a concussioned killer. She didn't know whether he would be less or more trouble for her to bear now in his condition.

"What if he goes mad and attacks me?"

Xena smiled down at her friend. Gabrielle looked really worried about the situation, she could tell. But she didn't think she needed to worry. Xena believed that she was more than capable of handling herself. She could easily manage him now that she'd made him indisposed.

Still, she couldn't help but wonder if splitting up for now would be a good idea. The town had looked like a big maze when she'd looked down on it from the incline. She would have to search all over for the tavern and then try and find the healer's house afterwards. She took another look at the young man and made up her mind.

"You'll be fine. You've already demonstrated that you can use your staff to keep him in check."

Gabrielle made a face. "That's not even funny." She looked back at the young man and decided that Xena's plan was probably the best decision. He looked as though he barely had enough energy left to keep him standing on his own two feet. "Okay. We'll meet you at the healer's house later then."

After Gabrielle loosened the rope from around the young man's wrists, Xena gathered it up and slung it around the saddle horn. With one last look at her friend, Xena nodded and pushed Argo into a trot, disappearing around a row of houses and from Gabrielle's view.

Leandros felt his energy draining from him and it took all he had to open his eyes and look around. The edges of his vision had started to turn black and found it hard to focus on anything. He saw the blurry image of the warrior woman riding away on her horse and then someone close move in front of him.

He felt a dull prodding sensation on his shoulder and turned his head to see what it was but he couldn't see anything. _What's happening to me_? He thought, panicking.

"Hello? Did you hear me?" Gabrielle asked, poking the man's shoulder again to get his attention. This time he managed to lift his head up, but instead of looking at her, his eyes rolled back and he fell forward. Gabrielle threw her arms out and caught him before he fell to the ground. "Oh, no. Hey, wake up! C'mon don't do this to me." She tried to shake the man in her arms but he didn't budge or react in anyway. Gabrielle tried to remain calm as she lifted his arm over her shoulder and half dragged him into town.

"Someone help, please. This man needs help!" she shouted to the townsfolk. Most of them looked over at her curiously and others ignored her completely and passed without sparing a glance.

The pain in her back returned when the effort of trying to hold him up became too great. The sudden pain rendered her weak and the man started to slip from her grasp. He was heavier than her, and an attempt to keep him up resulted in her losing her balance and toppling over in to a heap on the floor with him.

"Help me please. I need a healer!" Gabrielle shouted again.

She heard the sound of boots running toward where she was and looked up. Standing before her was none other than Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love. "Hey, honey. What happened here?"

Gabrielle thanked her lucky stars. "Aphrodite, could you please help me? I need to get this man to a healer quickly. He's passed out from his concussion."

"Concussion?" Aphrodite looked at the man lying on the floor. He looked as though he'd taken a chariot to the side of his face. "Did Xena do this?"

Gabrielle shook her head guiltily. "No, I did."

Aphrodite's eyes widened. "Yikes, remind me never to get on the wrong side of you. So is this your new toy boy then?" she tilted her head slightly to the side to get a better look at him. "He looks cute."

"_Aphrodite_!"

"Alright, alright, I was only joking. Keep your skirt on. " Aphrodite kneeled by both Gabrielle and the man she was with and touched their shoulders. She didn't know what had happened or how they'd come to be here, but Aphrodite couldn't leave her little mortal gal pal and her boyfriend when they needed help. In a flash she brought them to the healer's house. With a quick look around, Aphrodite decided that they would be safe inside the warm building. "This is this is the healer's house in Dreyas. You're in the centre of town now."

"Thank you, Aphrodite."

Aphrodite waved her hand as if it had been no big deal. "Oh, c'mon. I only took you to the healer's house. It's not like I bought you a horse."

"I'm grateful anyway. Thank you for your help." Gabrielle used her staff to lift herself to her feet and went over to the counter. She looked up and down, even lifted herself onto the counter to look through an open door to see where the healer was. "Hello? Is anyone here? I need a healer quickly!" she shouted towards the open door.

When nobody answered she slid back off the counter and sighed. "Aphrodite? Where is every-" She turned around and saw that Aphrodite had left, but not before lifting the man onto one of the stretchers lying across the floor.

Gabrielle smiled to herself as she kneeled by the man. Aphrodite could be helpful when she put her mind to it, when she wasn't causing trouble. Since there was nobody in the house the best thing she could do was stay by his side until someone turned up.

~ X ~

Xena had been searching for the tavern for nearly half an hour and was starting to think that the directions she'd been given were wrong. She'd got a strange '_off'_ feeling about the town that she hadn't quite figured out yet. Everything seemed really plain and the townsfolk were as friendly dryads. The first person she'd asked directions had looked at her strangely, as if she'd asked them to give up an arm or a leg to her.

Still, she pressed on. She wasn't willing to let a bunch of unfriendly people put her off finding Selena. Though it was nearly midday, the town seemed quiet for a place so big. There were hardly any market stalls out and the people she saw looked as though they were in the middle of some great depression that she didn't know about. She did notice however that all the people she saw were either really old or children. She didn't see any young people around at all.

As she delved deeper into the centre of the town she saw that a large building, much like a chapel, resided in the middle and was given a wide berth by the surrounding houses. Before it laid a pool-like water feature that looked out of place for a place this depressing. It stretched at least ten yards from the closest house to the steps leading into the chapel itself. Along the outer edge were troughs brimming with water that spilled over back into the pool.

"Admiring the water feature, hmm?"

Xena turned and looked down to where the voice come from and found an old man with short silver hair and clad in a dark green robe standing not too far away from Argo.

"Err, yeah, I was just thinking that it looks a little out of place when compared to the rest of the town."

"I would say so too." The man said, glancing over at it briefly. There was something in the way that his grey eyes tightened when he looked at it that made her think that maybe he wasn't such a big fan of it. When he turned to her again, he stepped closer looking expectant. "Is there anything that I could help you with? You look a little lost if you don't mind me saying."

Xena smiled at the old man. "Yes, I was actually trying to find the local tavern, The Rose."

The man's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the name. "Oh, that is on the edge of town back that way near the entrance." He said, pointing toward the arch where she, Gabrielle and their reluctant companion came through. "But if it's a place you're looking for then I know a great inn in town that puts that pit of immorality to shame."

Xena stifled the need to frown and kept a deadpan face. "Oh? And what makes this place you know better than the one I know?"

The man seemed at a loss for words for a moment at Xena's reaction. Leaving him in silence, Xena turned Argo around and started for the direction he had pointed in. She wanted to get in and out before it became dark so she still had enough time to check on Gabrielle and the young man they'd dragged along.

"Beware the charlatans and harlots of the Rose. The fallen will rob you of everything you hold dear and twist your beliefs until you desire the lies." The man's deep voice warned.

Xena's ears pricked up and she turned in the saddle to face the man and asking him what he was talking about. But when she did he had already disappeared. She searched the area for the man but there was no sign to show he'd been there talking to her; the sandy floor was absent of footprints or markings.

Frowning, Xena turned and again headed in the direction the man had shown her before he disappeared. But this time she had an ominous feeling that made her skin prickle like she was being watched.

The Rose tavern wasn't too far from where they'd entered the town. After going back to the entrance and then going in the opposite direction from where she'd headed off, she found the tavern within five minutes. She wanted to hit herself when she realized how close they'd actually been, but she promised herself that she wouldn't admit that she got lost to Gabrielle otherwise she wouldn't hear the end of it.

As she dismounted, Xena noticed a woman who looked suspiciously like someone she knew very well run into a nearby temple. Believing that her eyes were playing games on her, she ignored it and headed for the tavern doors.

The interior of The Rose looked like every other tavern that Xena had ever entered before with the exception of not being stared at as soon as she walked in. The atmosphere that emanated inside the tavern seemed friendly enough. At the tables, instead of binge drinking, arm wrestling warriors and drunkards, people were sitting socially. There was no sign of the immorality the old man had spoken of.

Xena approached the counter and signalled to the keeper. When he came over she asked him if he'd heard about or seen Selena when she gave him a brief description how she looked. The keeper pointed toward the other end of the room and when she looked, she saw a table at the corner of the tavern closest to the fireplace. Sat at the table was a woman with long red hair with hints of blonde twined within the curls, making it look a little more colourful.

After thanking the keeper, Xena approached the woman carefully so as not to startle her. But it seemed she needn't have bothered because before she could speak, the woman beat her to it.

"Xena. I'm glad you finally made it." The woman said.

Xena smiled. "How did you know it was me, Selena?"

Selena rose from her seat and turned to face the warrior princess. It had been years since she had last seen her, but it did not stop the familiar jolt of affection she felt when she laid her eyes on her again.

"There's only one woman in the world I know who has her own walk signature." Selena smiled broadly, ignoring the flutter in her stomach when Xena approached her with her arms open wide.

Xena returned Selena's smile with one of her own and stepped forward to pull her old friend into a hug. She squeezed her tightly, feeling as though it had been a lifetime since she'd last seen her. When she let go and stepped back, Xena noticed Selena's face had gone slightly pink.

"It's been a long time, Selena." Xena said, patting her friend's shoulder.

"Yes, much too long." Selena replied, a wistful tone in her soft voice.

"You've gotten taller. And you grew your hair out."

"And aside from your armour, you haven't changed in the least. Good to know."

Selena sat in her chair again and gestured for Xena to join her. Xena took the seat opposite her friend and folded her arms across the table top. They looked at each other for a moment, silently recalling their last memories of each other.

Selena grinned, trying to keep her heart steady as she spoke. She couldn't believe that after all this time she still felt the same way about the woman that had saved her life. After Xena had left her, Selena had worked with her father, assisting him with running his business. Every day she had been surrounded by friends and family. But some part of her had always felt empty and unfulfilled when Xena had left.

Xena grinned at the funny look on Selena's face. "What are you thinking?"

"Just about the last time I saw you. You were riding some horse off into the distance and I never saw you again." Selena's smile grew slightly. "Until today."

Xena smiled, lifting out the note from her corset. "I was surprised to hear from you, Selena. Your note said you were in danger and needed my help?"

Selena sighed, shaking her head. "Straight to business? As usual."

She sat up properly, mirroring the warrior princess's pose and sat with her arms on the table. "I haven't been attacked yet, but I know that there is a bounty out for my head. I feel as though I'm being watched all the time and the other day, I could've sworn blind that I was being followed."

Selena thought back to when she'd been walking back from the chapel last week. She'd been alone; she'd visited the chapel to pray before going home and hadn't felt safe. On her way home she'd caught herself looking over her shoulders every few seconds and had once seen the hem of a cloak turn and disappear around a turn dangerously close to where she had been. Thinking about it made her shudder with fear.

Xena pursed her lips, imagining why somebody would want to hurt Selena. The look of fear on her friends face made her silently fume. Whoever was responsible, Xena would make sure they get what was coming to them. "Do you have any idea who would want you dead?"

Selena shook her head. She had a couple of ideas for some suspects who might be responsible, but they were just feelings. "No. There is an abundance of people in this village that don't like me very much though. Most don't like my tavern and avoid it, especially because what I am. The zealots in the centre of town think I'm going to corrupt everyone."

"That's ridiculous." Xena shook her head, disgusted. "How long have you been here? You said the taverns yours?"

Selena messed with a strand of her hair, twisting it between her fingers. "I've been here a little over a year now. I bought it off the man before me with the money I'd got from working with my father. It was alright at first. People were kind to me and I had many offers of marriage." She laughed at Xena expression, but then sighed sadly. "But when the truth got out that I was a sapphist, people started to avoid me like I had a deadly disease. It's only recently that things have taken a turn for the worst and I'm concerned for my life."

Selena's fearful look made Xena angry but she tried to keep her anger contained. It wouldn't do any good blowing up in front of her friend or her customers. She reached forward and grabbed her friend's hand, squeezing it comfortingly.

Selena thought her heart had stopped beating the moment Xena took her hand and squeezed it. She couldn't help but forget for a moment that her life was in danger. She felt as though everything was going to be alright as long as Xena was here with her.

"Nobody is going to hurt you, Selena. I'll make sure of that." Xena said resolutely.

Selena's face brightened. "So you'll help me?"

"Yes."


	4. Healing Hands

**Note**: I still don't own Xena or any of the characters (although I _really_ wish I do lol). Hope you enjoy reading this chapter.

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><p>"Can I help you miss?"<p>

Gabrielle's head shot up and she grabbed her staff tightly, standing as she did. She hadn't realized that she'd drifted off. It seemed as though the lack of sleep was getting to her. When she heard the man's voice, Gabrielle switched to defensive mode, thinking it was another ambush. Whatever it was she was ready to protect herself. Which is what why it was such a shock when she looked up and saw a different man stood before her, his hands held up in surrender.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to startle you." The man said sincerely.

Gabrielle shook her head to rid herself of the lingering remnants of sleep. "No, it's alright. I'm just a little jumpy."

The man chuckled. "I can tell." He said and then looked pointedly at her staff which she still held threateningly.

She lowered it. "Are you the town healer here?" she asked.

Gabrielle thought he looked like a healer. He was wearing a white robe and a green material sash around his waist with the sleeves rolled up over his forearms.

The man smiled. "Yes, miss. The name is Dantorix. Best healer from here to Thrace, if I do say so myself." he held out his hand and Gabrielle shook it.

"Gabrielle." She looked down at the young man and pointed to his unconscious body. "Can you help him? He passed out a while ago. My friend thinks he has a concussion."

Dantorix bit his lip and kneeled down beside where the man was laid. He held his head in his hands, carefully turning it to the side. When he saw the bruise, Gabrielle noticed that he frowned. She looked away briefly, feeling a pang of guilt. She hadn't meant to hurt the man as much as she did. She had just wanted to knock him away from her.

"What happened?"

Gabrielle thought quickly. She couldn't tell him what really happened. The truth would land him in Dreyas jail and Xena said that she needed him with them in order for her plan to work. The only thing Gabrielle could think to say was…

"It was an accident. I was practicing with my staff and didn't realize how close he was."

She waited, wondering whether would hear the lie in her story or not but he just nodded in understanding. "I can see it was caused by a blunt object." He smiled slightly. "I just didn't realize someone as gentle as you wielded so much force in her swing to cause such an injury."

Looking back at Dantorix, she watched as he felt the area around the bruise carefully and rested his head back down. After checking his eyes, Dantorix stood. "Well, I don't think you have to worry about it being a concussion. He's just been hit really badly. From the look at the bruise, I would say he will have one big headache when he wakes up. Has he been displaying any signs of confusion or sporadic fainting?"

Gabrielle thought back to earlier when she had spoken to him before he collapsed. "He thought that we were in a field when we were just on the road. He also couldn't focus his eyes on neither me nor my friend."

"Ah. And how long has it been since he last ate?"

Gabrielle shrugged. She really didn't know. She did know however that he hadn't had anything last night when he'd been tied to the tree and on the way to the town. She realized that Xena must have meant for him to eat as soon as they reached the town, but neither of them had counted on the fact that he would faint before getting the chance too.

"He'll have to eat and drink as soon as he wakes up to help him get better." Dantorix went to pick the stretcher up at one end and hesitated. He glanced up at Gabrielle. "Would you mind giving me a hand lifting him into the other room? It's just through there." He said, gesturing to the open door to Gabrielle's side.

"Sure."

Resting her staff against the counter, she bent down and grabbed the poles at the young man's feet. Lifting the man surprised her. She didn't think that he was really as heavy as he felt to her right now. Gabrielle realized that it was the pain in her back making her weak. Still, even as she felt the painful throbbing in the lower back, she carried him into the room with the healer. She felt she owed it to him, even though he did try to kill her.

She tried to hide it as much as possible, forcing herself not to wince when carrying the man became too much for her to bear. But it was obvious that she hadn't managed to hide it as well as she thought. As soon as they lifted the man onto one of the empty cots, the healer pulled Gabrielle to one side and started touching her bare back.

"Hey, what are you doing?" she said, twisting quickly, knocking Dantorix's hands away.

"You are in pain. I want to know what is causing it." He stepped back, crossing his arms when Gabrielle put her hands on her hips defensively. "I'm a healer, not a lech."

Gabrielle nodded in understanding, relaxing. "I know I'm sorry. I'm just…" she trailed off, not really knowing why she'd reacted the way she had. She knew that it was a healer's job to find out the cause being pain and injury and heal it as best they can. Her reaction had shocked her.

She stepped toward him again. "What about him?"

Dantorix glanced down at the man passed out on the cot. "The best thing for him right now is rest. I won't be able to determine the seriousness of his injury until he wakes." He looked back at Gabrielle and stepped forward. "You on the other hand seem to be suffering quite a lot." He lifted his hands but hesitated when Gabrielle stared at him, unsure. "May I?"

Gabrielle nodded and turned. She couldn't understand why she felt so embarrassed about being touched by a healer. His job required touching his patients, but there was just something about him that made her stomach flutter nervously.

It could have been the way his light green eyes shone when the light spilling in through the open windows made them light up or it might have been the way his curly mousy brown hair just seemed to settle just right and frame his soft, gentle face.

She felt it when his hands brushed the bare skin of her lower back. He gently moved his hands, his palm grazing her skin. He prodded her back until he touched a sensitive area that made Gabrielle cry out in pain. She felt his hands leave and looked over her shoulder to him. Dantorix rooted around in some chest of drawers and when he found what he was looking, he returned holding a small clay pot.

"What's that?"

He pulled the lid off and a minty smell drifted to Gabrielle's nose. "It's a homemade medicinal salve to rub on your back. From what I can tell you've just bruised your lower back and possibly pulled a muscle. I recommend some of this salve and relaxation and you'll be back to normal soon. No more lugging unconscious men about." He said.

"I'll try not to make it a habit." Gabrielle laughed and then winced.

"What's wrong?"

"It hurts near my shoulder too."

The healer chuckled. "Were you wrestling a minotaur or something?" he asked as he put some of the salve onto his fingers.

"No, that's more of a feat that my friend would be able to pull off. My injuries came from trying to work out how to jump a horse and just plain old arrogance."

"Arrogance?"

"Yeah, I was stupid enough to mention that I thought that I'd be good enough soon with my staff to call myself a master." She chuckled to herself and closed her eyes when she felt him start to rub her back. It felt good. The salve was cold at first but then turned warm as her rubbed it in. It was as if her muscles were already starting to relax from the contact. She cleared her throat awkwardly when she felt his fingers drift lower. "I meant it as a joke but she took me seriously and challenged me."

"So your friend is responsible for this?"

Gabrielle shook her head, smiling to herself. "It's more of a shared injury."

"So who is this friend of yours?" Dantorix asked, sliding his hands back up until she felt his fingers reach the hem of her green top.

She swallowed. "Her name is Xena. You've probably heard of her?"

His hands stilled on her back. "_Xena_?" For a moment, Gabrielle looked over her shoulder so she could look at him. When Dantorix looked up at her he shook his head. "No, sorry. I haven't heard of anyone by that name. I've been here all my life and never heard of her." He smiled at her, showing all his perfect teeth. "This place is pretty isolated from the rest of the world, being at the top of a hill and all so we don't hear of current events." He sighed then, his voice reaching a melancholy tenor. "Actually, this place is more like a prison than a town."

Gabrielle frowned slightly. "What do you mean by that?"

The dark look in his eyes disappeared and he shook his head. "Nothing." He glanced up at her and smiled again, back to normal. "Would you take off your top please?"

"_What_!" Gabrielle sputtered.

Dantorix lifted the pot of salve. "You said there is pain in your shoulders right? Well if it anything like in your lower back then I'll need to rub some salve on it to reduce the pain."

Gabrielle hesitated. "Don't you, err, have a female healer available that could do it?"

"My mentor is bed ridden. She hasn't worked in days so I doubt she'll be able to help. She taught me everything she knows though so I think I'll be able to help you."

"I don't doubt that I just…" she looked at the healer with his pot in his hand, waiting expectantly and sighed. She was being silly. _He's only doing his job! Stop being so immature!_ She thought to herself.

"Gabrielle?" Dantorix's soft voice caught her attention and she couldn't help but look up at him. "If you want, I don't have to do it at all? If you think you can stand it then I can put the salve back? I won't force this on you if you don't want it."

Gabrielle shook her head. The pain in her lower back had started to go away until it had become virtually non-existent. She couldn't stand the sharp stabbing pain she felt in between her shoulder blades. "No, it's fine. I'm just being silly."

"You're sure?"

She nodded. Making sure that her back was to him, Gabrielle reached for the brown strings criss-crossed at the front of her top and pulled the ends away from her body, unlacing her top. When it was loose enough without her having to unfasten it fully, she hooked her fingers under the hem and pulled her top up and over her head. Covering her breasts with her free arm, she kept the top lifted in her hand.

"Pass it here. I'll put it on the drawers." Dantorix suggested.

Without turning, she passed it to him and heard when he dropped it on the drawers. Despite still having her skirt and boots on, Gabrielle felt bare and vulnerable. The breeze coming in through the window that had been cracked open sent a chill over her naked back and made where he'd already rubbed with the salve cold. When she felt him move behind her, she reached up to pull her hair out of the way for him and held it with her free hand.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Right in between my shoulders. It feels as though there is a knife there."

"Alright."

Without another word, Gabrielle faced forward again and waited until she felt his healing hands on her back again. It felt as though as soon as the salve touched her skin and seeped into her back the pain immediately started to fade. Replacing the pain was unfamiliar warmth that spread through her skin and made her heart beat twice as fast as usual. Gabrielle knew that it shouldn't have done, but his touch not only healed but also excited her. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt a man's touch, but she tried not to think about it while his warm fingers worked their way over her naked back.

At one point she thought she felt his touch lingering as he gently rubbed the salve into the dip between her shoulders and without realizing it, she felt herself leaning into his hands, silently encouraging him to rub her muscles harder though she was vaguely aware that the pain was no longer there.

Leandros couldn't remember what happened. The last thing he could recall seeing was a white horse, a blurred shadow and then darkness. His head was pounding mercilessly but it seemed that the pain wasn't as bad as it used to be. The cramping of his empty stomach was more of a pain that he really didn't want to bear.

He had no idea where he was but he would bet that he was still with the warrior woman and her bard. From what he could remember hearing from his brother about them he realized they would keep him around. Despite the painful throb in the side of his head, his only consolation was that at least he was laid down and not painfully hugging a tree like he'd spent the night. When his fingers twitched involuntarily he felt a rough material brush against his fingertips and frowned.

Had they put him into a bedroll? No. It didn't feel like it. He didn't know where he was but he got the sense that he was somewhere inside. He was warm. There was no wind or the sounds of birds chirping away. It was quiet except for a sound he couldn't quite place, but it sounded like sighing. He tried to lift his head slowly but the movement made the room spin dangerously. Instead he settled for taking baby steps and gently opened his eyes and looked around the room.

At first he thought he was still asleep and was just having a really vivid dream, but he could feel the pain in his body and what scene his eyes fell upon was something that he wouldn't have been able to dream up himself.

At the end of his cot was the young blonde woman that the warrior woman had called Gabrielle, and she was naked. Or at least he could tell her upper body was. She'd swept her long golden hair over her shoulder and had her arm covering her breasts. Her eyes were closed but she didn't look as though she was in pain which he'd expected since he'd heard her complaining about her back during their travelling. It looked as though it was the complete opposite. Whatever the robed man behind her was doing, she looked as though she was enjoying it.

As he continued to watch he became more enthralled by the woman. He'd never seen someone look so vulnerable and beautiful at the same time. It made warmth spread all over his body. The unfamiliarity of it made him curious and frustrated at the same time. Without thinking about what he was doing he moved himself, attempting to sit up.

Gabrielle heard him before she saw him. When she opened her eyes she saw out the corner of them that the man in the cot had awoken and moving about. Worse than that, he was looking at her; his eyes travelling over her uncovered body!

Panicking, she moved in a flash, rushing away from the healer to lunge at the man, her fist curled into a ball. She heard more than felt the punch when her fist connected with his face. Before he could react to the punch, she'd pushed him back down on the cot, hanging over him until she was sure that he'd passed out again. When he didn't move or open his eyes she turned, relieved that that was over with. But when she saw Dantorix staring open mouthed at her bare chest, she twisted around with a yell of shock towards the door where her best friend had just materialized out of nowhere with another woman with flame red hair. They were both staring at her with equal looks of shock on their faces.

Xena averted her eyes from her friend's nakedness to give her at least that privacy. After she'd gotten over the initial shock of walking in on her best friend knocking out the young man again before turning to her bare breasted, she asked Gabrielle if she was alright.

"Don't you _dare_ say anything, Xena, or I swear by the god's that I'll slap at you." Gabrielle threatened as she pulled her top violently from atop the chest of drawers. Storming toward Xena, Gabrielle muttered curses under her breath and pushed past the space between her best friend and the other woman.

"A friend of yours, Xena?" Selena asked, as soon as she'd been gone long enough to be out of earshot. From her tone Xena could tell that she was obviously amused.

"That's Gabrielle," Xena sighed and then shook her head in amusement. "My best friend."

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><p><strong>You might not see any significance but I assure you everything that I write has a reason to it. There are things to make you think and I'll keep you guessing up until the end. Anyway, I hope you liked reading this chapter. And again, constructive critisism welcome and reviews appreciated. Thank you and Happy Reading! :D<strong>


	5. First Impressions

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! I know on my profile I said I was going to publish a chapter every friday. But something's come up and I might not be able to do it then, so I decided to give you it early just in case. If things change I'll keep my promise and give another on Friday. This is a short but it gives a little background to Selena. I'm taking it slow with this story so stay with me. I've got the fic's story planned...I just need to flesh it out :D

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><p>"Y'know, I doubt he'll be able to help us out when he loses the skill to talk in full sentences if you keep hitting him. I don't think you understand just how hard you can actually hit, Gabrielle." Xena said, smiling over her tankard.<p>

Gabrielle was still fuming and exceedingly embarrassed over what had happened back in the healer's room. She'd apologized to the healer over and over but she could barely look anyone in the eye, especially Xena. She bit her lip and took another sip from her tankard. The taste was bitter but after the aftertaste was sweet and slid down her throat like honey and made her insides warm. It was a wonderful end to what had been a lovely, filling meal. Though, she'd rather the day had been as good as the food had been.

Gabrielle frowned. "Xena, I panicked. I didn't know what else to do. It was my first reaction." she said, trying to defend herself. "Besides, you'll be relieved to know that it isn't a concussion. Just a blunt blow to the head."

"He's lucky then. And what do you mean it was your first reaction was to punch the boy's lights out just because he saw you half naked?" Xena stifled the chuckle she felt trying to surface. "Gabrielle, I sent you there to make sure he recovered from your first attack. Not so you could give him a second helping."

Gabrielle frowned. She could hear the hint of amusement in Xena's voice which only made her angrier. "It was an accident." She insisted.

Xena lifted her own tankard up and took a large gulp from its contents. "You can tell that to him when he wakes up."

Selena had observed their back and forth for the past five minutes and could sense the connection between the two women. Despite all of her friend's snapping and obvious frustration, Xena kept the conversation light and her friend calm. Or at least tried to. Xena seemed to take all her friend's annoyance in stride, letting it roll off her shoulders as though Gabrielle wasn't yelling at her. This was a different Xena to the one that she remembered from her youth. The other Xena would have stopped Gabrielle before she even started shouting and made sure she wouldn't try again. Now, Xena seemed calmer; more at peace. It was strange and yet refreshing to behold so much change in a person she used to know.

"That is, of course, if he does wake up." Selena chuckled lightly. When Gabrielle turned to her she smiled. "It seems you are as strong as you are beautiful. A dangerous combination."

Gabrielle stared at Selena and then looked at Xena who just smiled back at her. She cleared her throat awkwardly, thrown by the unexpected compliment. "Erm, thank you, Selena." She drummed her fingers against her tankard, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. "Um, I'm sorry about earlier. What happened in the healer's room wasn't exactly…well; it wasn't the way I wanted to meet you for the first time. I must not have made a good impression."

Selena waved her hand. "It was the most unusual way to meet someone but don't worry. Good first impressions are overrated." She reached to her side and touched Xena's forearm, smiling admiringly at her. "Take Xena for instance. When I first met her she was a warlord, known all over for being ruthless. But when she saved my life, I knew all the rumours I'd heard couldn't be true. Or at least, not _all_ true. I asked her to help, explaining that she could be good. When she'd saved me I asked her to save my village too and she did. I can't help but feel proud of you, Xena. See, I told you that you could change."

Gabrielle felt her eyes widen in barely contained shock. She noticed the almost intimate look that Selena was giving Xena but didn't comment on it. "Wait, she saved you? _Before_ she became good?" she looked at Xena expectantly. She hadn't heard this before. "When was this?"

Xena could tell there was something bothering Gabrielle, aside from the fact that four people had seen her half naked. It was obvious that she was trying hard to not let whatever it was bother her, but Xena knew Gabrielle enough to know when she was pretending.

She scratched her head, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "It was years ago, before I met Hercules and decided to change." She glanced at Selena and realized she was staring at her with open adoration. Her violet coloured eyes were wide and entranced, like a child listening to tales of her favourite hero. It seemed as though her fan was still obsessed with her, even after all this time. "I was travelling alone, passing by Athens when I stumbled upon a group of slave traders attacking a small village. At the time I didn't care much because as a warlord I'd dabbled in it myself." Xena stared vacantly over her friends shoulder as the images of her past came flashing back in a violent, bloody rush. "But when they started killing the children, stealing the babies from their mothers and…" she trailed off, seeing the image of the children's mutilated corpses strung around their houses in her mind. The image haunted her, even now. Even when she'd been evil, what she had witnessed had made her physically sick and she couldn't just stand by while the army had delivered their devastation on the tiny defenceless village.

Gabrielle held her breath as she listened. She loved Xena; she was her family, but she could tell that whenever Xena mentioned her past it to cut her deeply and emotionally. The pain, the haunted look was there in her piercing blue eyes and it killed her knowing that there was nothing she could do to erase the memories that would be forever imprinted on her mind. She reached out and took Xena's other hand, lacing her fingers through hers.

Xena swallowed, trying to push the images away when she felt Gabrielle's hand squeezing hers reassuringly to bring her back from her nightmarish vision. When she saw her friend's sympathetic look she smiled back. "What I'd seen just reminded me too much of Solan. He was still only a baby and I saw him in each of the children that had been murdered. I couldn't stand by any longer and stopped it."

Selena felt her smiled fade from her face, remembering the horrifying scene as though it had just happened yesterday. The memories were still fresh in her mind; the screams of her friends echoing. She tried not to cry but thinking about it again made a lump emerge in her throat. It had been the first time Xena had rode into her life.

She reached out, holding her other hand. "She saved not only me, but my family and the rest of the village. Or, the one's that weren't massacred." She said to Gabrielle but kept her eyes on Xena. The sad look in her eyes made her heart ache. "After the army had left, we offered to take her in and feed her and give her a place to stay for a while. But she refused and left pretty much straight away. But she forever remained a hero in my eyes."

Xena smiled at Selena but when she noticed Gabrielle eyes on their joined hands, she blushed and, feeling unusually uncomfortable, pulled her hands away from each woman and crossed her arms defensively. "Of course I didn't stay. I was a warlord. The last thing I wanted was to have people think me going soft."

"You never told me about this, Xena." Gabrielle said, feeling surprisingly irked.

"Well, it's not exactly a good memory for me to relive, Gabrielle." Xena retorted.

The tension hung in the air and was as noticeable as centaur wearing a dress in the room. It made Selena feel uncomfortable. Wanting to get rid of the tension, she aimed to change the subject.

"I'm really glad you agreed to help me. Both of you. You don't know how much it means to me to know that you are going to help me find out whoever is responsible for the bounty." She stood suddenly, moving away from the table and headed toward the counter. After talking to her counter attendant, she came back holding a couple of keys. She put them on the table in between Xena and Gabrielle. "There's a room for each of you free of charge. They're the best rooms I have here. Nothing is too good for the best warriors around and my good friend." She said with a broad smile.

Xena picked one up and started looking at it whilst Gabrielle hesitated before picking up the other. "Um, we normally share a room."

Selena's heart skipped a beat for a second. "You _share_ a room?" her question was directed at Xena who just shrugged.

"Yes. It's cheaper and it makes it easier for us to look after each other." Xena replied.

Selena swallowed, trying not to let it bother her. Why wouldn't Xena share a room with Gabrielle? Selena looked at her and had to admit that she was beautiful, beautiful enough for the warrior princess. Xena only settled for the best and Gabrielle must be the best. Still, she couldn't deny the pang of hurt she felt in her chest and the unsettling feeling in her stomach when the thought of them together floated to the front of her mind. She couldn't hate Gabrielle for the girl had done nothing to her to deserve it, but she wanted to.

Crestfallen, Selena reached for the key Gabrielle was holding. "Oh, okay then. If you wish to share a room then of course that is fine."

Gabrielle suddenly felt uncomfortable. Selena's face had dropped when she'd said that she and Xena normally shared a room. She didn't want to cause any hassle or hurt this woman's feelings, especially not since she was being so hospitable to them and offering them a room each, and the best one's she had too. She gripped the key tightly, gently pulling away from Selena's approaching hand.

"Wait!" Selena and Xena both looked at her, waiting. Gabrielle shrugged. "My mother once told me that it's rude to turn someone down when they are offering you their hospitality. The last thing I want to do is offend you, Selena. You have been so kind to us and made us a wonderful dinner. I would love to have my own room for once." She bit her lip, looking at Xena. "No offence, Xena."

Xena shrugged. "None taken."

Selena smiled, relieved. "The baths are in the basement and regularly filled. Breakfast is an hour after dawn. If you want I can arrange for someone to wake you?"

Xena shook her head, rising to her feet. She extended her arms above her head and stretched enthusiastically. "No thank you. We've been travelling for quite a while. A good sleep will do us good I think." She reached out and touched Selena's shoulder. "But about our _friend_ down at the healer's house. I'll be checking on him very soon."

Selena nodded. "Of course. I'll prepare a room for him for as soon as he recovers from his injuries." She shot a smile at Gabrielle.

Gabrielle blushed and downed the rest of her drink. "Thank you, Selena. Your hospitality is appreciated." She rose and stood beside Xena, squealing in delight. "Ah, I can't wait to try out my bed. It's got to be better than sleeping on the cold, hard ground all the time. And it will do my back good to sleep on something that isn't rocky or bug infested."

Selena smiled at the young woman. The visible look of excitement in Gabrielle's eyes when she mentioned her own bed made her want to laugh. She couldn't imagine what travelling with Xena was like, but she could bet that if they rested as hard as they fought then they were lucky that they could still move.

She guided them upstairs, conscious of how close they were and how they spoke in hushed conversation as they followed her upstairs. She couldn't quite make out what they were speaking about but she heard chuckling and slapping behind her.

"Xena, I swear we weren't doing anything! He was just helping me with my back!" Gabrielle complained quietly, hitting Xena's arm.

"It hardly looked that way when I came in. You were topless, Gabrielle. You don't have to be embarrassed with me. If you want to get to know him better then that's your own business." Xena waggled her eyebrows.

Gabrielle frowned. She couldn't believe they were still talking about it. "By the gods, Xena. I wouldn't mind but it was _your_ fault I had to see the healer in the first place."

Now it was Xena's time to frown. "Are you still going on about your back? I already told you that you should learn to fall better." She hit her back.

When she finally reached the top of the stairs, Selena turned to face Xena and Gabrielle. They were hitting each other with smiles on their faces that made Selena feel anxious. Without looking at them, she pointed to the two furthest rooms from the stairs opposite each other. "The two rooms at the end are yours. If there is anything that you need, please don't hesitate to ask. I'll be up until the moon is highest in the sky. Good night, Xena. Gabrielle."

Before Selena could pass, Xena reached out and stopped her, grabbing her forearm. She shook it. "Thank you, Selena."

The heat from Xena's touch travelled up Selena's arm and made her heat race. She smiled; drinking in the beauty of Xena's piercing blue eyes as they stared at her. "No problem." She said her voice cracking. She cleared her throat and regretfully pulled her arm away gently, feeling the coldness sweep over her arm from the lack of contact.

She watched as both Xena and Gabrielle smiled at her one last time before heading to their rooms, tapping each other on the way, and couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy form in her stomach.

_If only_… she thought as she turned to descend the stairs.

~X~

Xena went into her room first but Gabrielle waited until she heard Selena had left before turning away from her own door and followed Xena into her own room. Gabrielle was careful as she closed the door behind her, making sure not to make much noise and wake the other customers as they slept in the neighbouring rooms.

"What's wrong, Gabrielle?" Xena asked as laying her scabbard on the chest of drawers in front of the window.

Gabrielle shook her head. "Nothing. I was just wondering…"

Xena stood, waiting expectantly for her friend to finish. "Yes?" she prompted.

Gabrielle wanted to talk about Selena. She had noticed the way she had all but hung over Xena during dinner and drinks. She was used to people showing their gratitude to Xena and be overly excited at the sight of a hero, but it was the way that she had stared almost lovingly at her that made Gabrielle feel a little uneasy. And after hearing the story behind their meeting, something had caused a tiny twinge of jealousy knowing that Selena had had a hand in helping Xena turn from her dark past first. It was petty, she knew it was, but it irked her nonetheless.

Instead of mentioning Selena, instead she broached the subject of the town and what they were going to do to help. "Xena? What are we going to do? Why would someone put a bounty on Selena's head? I don't see anything wrong with her."

Xena sat on the edge of her bed and rubbed her eyes. She felt so unbelievable tired but she couldn't understand why. Apart from entering the town and looking for Selena she hadn't done anything physically straining. The last time she could remember feeling normal was back before the entered the town. She thought it was probably coincidence. Besides the less than warm welcome they received after entering the town, she hadn't seen much that concerned her about the place; it was the people that just seemed unfriendly.

She laid back on the bed, lifting her hands behind her head to rest. "I'm not sure at the moment. My number one priority is making sure she stays safe then finding out the one who's been causing her all this hassle." She sighed deeply. "I don't know why someone would target Selena but I'll find out soon enough."

Gabrielle nodded. It wasn't one of Xena's more solid plans but it Gabrielle knew better than to question her best friend. She approached her and sat on the edge of the bed looking down at Xena's closed eyes. She looked so tired.

"Are you sure you want to see to that man tonight, Xena. You look as though you should sleep a while."

Xena frowned slightly and shook her head, eyes still closed. "No, I'll be fine. I'll give it a while and then go later." Xena opened her eyes and saw Gabrielle sat on the edge of the bed, her hips close. She looked tired and stressed. "You are the one who looks as though you could sleep for a month. Go on, test out your bed seeing as you wanted it all to yourself." She teased.

Gabrielle rose to her feet smiling. "Hey, I was just being polite but if I'm being honest, I could use the space. You're not exactly easy to sleep with y'know. You move around a lot."

Xena frowned, sitting up suddenly. "No I do not."

"_Xena_, you slapped me in the face a couple of weeks ago. Remember when we left Xerces's shop after buying our new bedrolls? Well, you turned over and caught my cheek in the middle of the night." she frowned, touching her cheek. "I told you the next morning and you just said that my face shouldn't have been in the way!"

Xena raised an eyebrow, thinking back. "I did wonder why you were on the other side of the fire the next morning." She grinned. "Well, in any case, I'm sorry."

Gabrielle half turned to Xena, holding the door open with a smirk on her face. "It's okay. I got my revenge. I was the one that put mud in your boots when you went for a bath."

Xena's eyes widened at the revelation of her friend's prank. She remembered sliding her clean feet into the sticky, sludge that had been in her boots. At the time she hadn't had any idea how it had gotten there, but she'd guessed that because she'd left it near one of the mud hills near the pond the mud had slid down on its own. But then she remembered the giggles from Gabrielle for the rest of the day and the pieces started to fit together a she reached around the side of her bed.

Gabrielle had just enough time to close the door behind her, her back on the wooden surface when she heard Xena gasp and throw one of her boots at the door as she left, making her door vibrate against her back. With a smile she headed to her room.

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><p><strong>Hoped you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing this chapter. It only takes a minute, review and tell me what you liked or what I could improve on. Your support helps me become a better writer :D<strong>


	6. Decisions

**A/N:** Hey everbody! Luckily the thing that was going to stop me from publishing my chapter has buggered off so I'll be able to do it afterall. As promised here is the next chapter for FLS. I hope you like it. It's a little different to my others but I've tried to balance comedy and seriousness in this one. Anyway...Happy Reading!

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><p>Aphrodite popped into her room and fell into the first chair she saw. It turned out that roaming all over Greece to make sure that love still existed by herself was proving to be difficult and she was exhausted. She and Cupid had agreed to split up to cover more ground when signs started to show that not only was love was slowly disappearing, but people were either starting to argue with their loved ones or were becoming extremely possessive over them. She was sure that pretty soon that if the problem wasn't sorted soon then love would eventually dissolve into hate.<p>

But she couldn't have that. Love was her job; love was her very reason for her existence. Without it there would be no need for her and that scared Aphrodite. She wanted to do whatever it took to make sure that that didn't happen. Regardless, it was hard to keep up. It was becoming an epidemic. She never realized just how much the world needed Cupid as well as her.

As she closed her eyes for a second, willing herself to relax as the day flashed before her.

"_Mother_! Would you please stop touching my stuff?" Cupid had said, rushing over to close the chest with a slam and almost trapping Aphrodite's delicate fingers in the process.

Aphrodite smiled, ruffling her son's hair. "Hey, you're a grown-up. Whatever scrolls you like to read has nothing to do with me. Although, I must say, I've never heard of this '_Sutra'_."

Cupid had pushed her hands away and rushed over to the golden plate hanging on the wall. He'd looked into it as he straightened out his hair. "Mom, please! Psyche is in the other room with Bliss. I really don't wish for them to hear about what I read." He went over to the door and closed it.

Aphrodite heard Cupid's sigh when he saw her was fiddling about with the mini shooters her son had talked about. When she took it off the wall she pointed it at thin air, looking down the sight.

"These are just about the cutest things I've ever seen!" she said ecstatically before it was forcibly removed from her hand.

"It's not meant to be cute. These little shooters are extremely powerful which is why I don't use them that often." Aphrodite had watched as he'd lifted it close to his face as if he was inspecting it closely. "This little shooter can cause a lot of trouble in the wrong hands," she noticed his eyes flick to her and tried not to take offence. "It creates lust and powerful desire in those struck by its arrow."

Aphrodite's eyes widened. She'd looked over the shooter with more serious interest. "So who ever get shot by this baby-?"

"Will desire the first person they see, which is why I need you. Your love will help balance it out and make it more about love rather than just mindless animalistic lust and passion."

Aphrodite had made a face. "Why not just shoot them with these? It'll be the same won't it?"

Cupid frowned. "No, mom, that's the point. We can't just shoot them with these as they are! Everybody will be stripping off and pouncing on each other in the middle of the street. That's not what love is about!"

_It was a fun part of it though_, Aphrodite had thought. "Fine, what is it you want me to do, Cupie?"

Cupid had ignored her nickname for him and had passed her one of the shooters hesitantly. "I want you to augment the mini shooter with your love so that it will lessen to power of lust embedded within the arrows."

"It doesn't sound like as much fun." Still, she'd reached out and taken the shooter in her hand and sprinkled it with her love. Once she'd finished, the mini shooter seemed to radiate with the power held within it. She felt an invisible warm power pass from it and trickle into her hands. "Wow, I can feel it. And it feels good."

"Here, let me take it." Once he held it in his hand he smiled and nodded. "Yes, that's it. I can feel the love. The passion is still there but at least it's not as overpowering."

"Passion is not a bad thing, honey. Every loving relationship needs plenty of passion to keep it new and spicy. You should know that, Cupie." She'd teased then looked over at the chest containing her son's graphic scrolls. "Well, I thought you did."

Remembering the look on her son's face made her laugh out loud in the quiet room.

"I can't help but wonder what you think about when you laugh like that, Aphrodite."

Aphrodite sat up quickly, recognizing the voice. She knew it very well; knew the deep, gruff tenor and the humour tinging his voice. When she spun in her seat she saw his handsome face smiling back at her. Even in the past the first thing she always seemed to notice about him was his eyes. She couldn't help but feel drawn to them. They were a deep brown colour, dark and mysterious; shining as if they held a big secret. His brown hair was long but tied back at the nape of his neck and his face was strong and handsome, despite the long disfiguring scar that ran along the side of his face. His lips, Aphrodite noticed, were turned up in an amused smiled.

"Enjoying the view?"

Aphrodite smiled. "Don't I always, Hephaestus?"

She rose to her feet and approached him, meeting him in midstride to be pulled into a hug. Standing a head taller than Aphrodite made it hard for her to reach her arms around his shoulders properly, but Hephaestus helped by curling his strong arms around her waist and held her against his body.

Hephaestus blushed when she reached up and brushed his cheek with her soft lips. Oh how he missed the feel of them on his. He tried his best to keep himself under control when he started to lower her and her body slid against his body. He tried not to remember the way it used to feel to have her body against his as a regular occurrence, but he failed miserably. She looked so beautiful. He flawless platinum blonde corkscrew curls tumbled down over her shoulders and down her back, her lips were sensuously full and painted pink to accentuate them. But nothing else in all Olympus could compare to Aphrodite's pale blue eyes and the way they seemed to cut through him to wordlessly claim his heart and soul.

The blonde goddess was a temptress. The place reserved for her in his heart was as unyielding and unwavering as her quest to spread love for the good of mankind and he doubted it would ever change. Still, he pushed his feelings aside for he could never have her. Not again. Especially when he knew she didn't feel the same way.

"How's the creating-weapon-for-every-god-and-goddess-on-mount-Olympus coming? And what about Cupid's bow"

"It's tiring me out a little if I'm honest. Ares keep demanding more weapons than I can keep up with and I'm still repairing my chariot." He scratched the stubble around his chin thoughtfully. "I have to admit that I was surprised to see the boy yesterday when he came down to the forges. But when he showed me the bow and the state it was in…" Hephaestus frowned. "I haven't made a lot of progress on that yet. I'm still trying to work out why it broke the way it did." He looked at Aphrodite and said quietly, "That shouldn't have happened, Aphrodite. My weapons have never broken. Its concerning."

Aphrodite could sense the worry coming from the god. It was practically rolling off him waves. His brow was furrowed in extreme concern. She reached up and delicately smoothed the unattractive crease away with her fingertips.

"Don't worry, Hephaestus. Cupid and I have a plan to maintain the love so that it won't all turn to chaos."

Hephaestus's face burned where the goddess had touched his skin. It had been an innocent, comforting touch, but her soft skin on his was almost too much to bear. He reached up swept her hair aside, revealing her slender, creamy neck and softly caressed her cheek. He wanted so much to kiss her. To remember the way it had felt the last time he had pressed his lips against hers. But he couldn't and it killed him inside.

He dropped his hand from her soft face and turned briskly. "I just wanted to tell you what I have found out so far. Cupid's bow wasn't broken by accident, he wasn't to blame. His bow had been tampered with. I haven't found out by whom yet or how, but it had to be another god. No mortal could do it. When I find out who it is, I'll come and tell you." He said and then walked away, brushing aside the pink beaded curtain covering her doorway on the way out.

Aphrodite's mind was reeling and her heart was beating fast. Not only from Hephaestus's strange gruff behaviour, but his information.

She began pacing the floor, curling her hair between her fingers as she thought of all the gods she knew that had something against Cupid. But even after ten minutes of migraine inducing frowning, Aphrodite was stumped. She had no idea who could do such a thing to her son, dooming the mortals to act irrationally and lust after each other blindly instead of falling in love. She bit her lip anxiously. They needed to sort this out soon before it started to affect the gods.

~ X ~

As soon as Leandros awoke he flinched, expecting an attack. But none came. He looked around and saw that even though it was dark, he could tell he was in the same room he'd been in earlier. There was no sign of Gabrielle or the other man that had been with her before she punched him. He lifted his hand tentatively to his nose and winced from the sensitivity of his injury. Leandros was getting tired of it. Not only was he starving or the side of his face hurt like Tartarus. But now his nose felt as though it was blown up twice its size, though he couldn't tell if it was or not.

He risked moving slowly into a sitting position and was pleased when no fist came flying at him from out of the darkness. Feeling around in the shadows, he felt his scabbard stood against what felt like some drawers. He hoped that his sword would be in but as he patted his fingers up to the top he felt no sword handle. Angry, he grabbed it and threw it blindly to the other side of the room and from the sound of it, straight into a pot, smashing it.

When he looked up at the window opposite his cot and saw that there was a small crack where the moonlight was trying to creep its way in.

Raising into a sitting position carefully and pushing away from the cot, he stumbled over and pushed the curtain aside, pulling at the window until it was opened halfway. The moonlight spilled into the room illuminating him and everything behind him.

Satisfied, he turned and made his way back over to his cot where he found that his jacket was laying at the foot of it. He realized during his unconsciousness that he must have been stripped of his jacket and a jolt of panic spiked in his chest. He ran over to it, lifting it as he shoved his hand along the inside, patting the hidden pockets. He sighed with relief when he felt the silk along his fingertips.

Sitting on the edge of the cot he closed his eyes, holding the silken scarf to his chest and waited until his heart stopped racing. He couldn't imagine what he would have done if they'd taken it. It was last thing he had that his mother had given him before she'd died. To think that he could've lost it made him angry and unbelievably sad.

He folded and kissed it before replacing it back into the hidden pocket and pulled his jacket back on. He had just risen to his feet when spied a shadow appear under the crack of the door.

With calculated steps, he crept over to wait behind the door with his back pressed flat against the wall. As he waited he heard the sound of muffled talking through the door but couldn't understand what was being said, no matter how much he strained his ears to listen. Before he had time to put his ear against the door and eavesdrop, the door opened inwardly and a wedge of light spilled into the room. A shadow preceded its owner and he stepped back quietly when he recognized the form.

"Come out. No one is going to hurt you. You don't have your sword so don't bother trying to attack me. You and I both know who will come off worse."

Leandros hesitated but eventually stepped out from his cover within the shadows when he realized the truth of her words. He knew what she said was true but he lifted his fists threateningly anyway. "Why don't you let me go if you aren't going to hurt me? You can't use me. I don't know anything about anything that will be of use to you. If you refuse I'll have to fight you."

Xena walked into the room with the candle she was holding and lit each of the ones sitting along the windows and atop the chest of drawers. Though her back was to the young man she kept her ears trained for any sound of movement. But she knew when there was none that she was in no danger of being attacked. Despite the man's negative attitude towards her and Gabrielle, he didn't follow up on his threats.

With a smile, she lit the last candle on the shelf above the cot he'd been lain on and turned to him, blowing out the flame of the candle she was holding. She felt his eyes on her as she set it down on the drawers and sat on the cot. There was a moment of tangible unease where they just stared at each other challengingly from opposite ends of the room.

Xena pondered as she looked him over what he was trying to prove. The young man looked as though he may have been in his early twenties and yet he'd been so ready to throw his life away when she'd threatened him yesterday. He had his whole life ahead of him. Regardless of the unkempt beard his face donned and the weathered clothes he wore, the look in his deep blue eyes was one full of intelligence and something else that Xena couldn't quite place. He looked nothing like any warrior she had encountered in her whole life. His attitude reminded her of the first time that she'd met Joxer, but she thought this man wasn't like him in anyway. Where Joxer had been clumsy and eager for attention, this man radiated courage and a need to prove himself so badly that it bordered on desperation.

Leandros knew what the warrior woman was doing just by the way she was looking at him. She was trying to break down his defences with her insistent, piercing stare. But he wouldn't give in to her or disclose any information. He wouldn't tell her about Darius and his army. He knew nearly everything there was to know: where they normally camped, where they raided, the ranking order. But he didn't know what Darius was planning. Darius never disclosed any of his plans to those that he thought unworthy of his attention. It was sad but there was nothing that he could do. Especially now that there was no way to get back to him without fighting the warrior woman.

He frowned and crossed his arms. The raven haired warrior deadpan expression was as infuriating as the golden haired girl's attacks. Irrespective of the fact that he knew what she was doing, he had no idea what she was thinking and it put him on edge. He noticed when he saw her eyes soften slightly and frowned.

"If there is nothing you want from me, can I have my sword back and be on my way?" Leandros asked, pushing away from the wall.

Xena tilted her head to the side as she looked at him. He was so eager to leave. She wanted to know why. "You still haven't told me your name yet."

"My name?" He frowned, his mouth twisting into a cynical sneer. "Do you ask for your victim's names now before you kill them?"

Xena frowned despite her attempt at trying to keep her expression neutral. "If I'd wanted to kill you then you would already be dead." She crossed her legs and repeated her question. "What is your name?"

He hesitated before answering, wondering if he should give a fake name. But the way she looked at him as though she knew what he was thinking made him choose otherwise. "Leandros," He said and then regretted telling her, but he knew the woman was not going to let him go until she got her answers. He felt it in the way she looked at him and spoke in her calm manner. It was intimidating.

"Well then, _Leandros_. Why you were stalking my friend and me yesterday. I know you are part of Darius's army."

She watched as Leandros's eyes bugged out. "How did you know that?

Xena pointed to the man's jacket. "Your scarf bears are the colours of Darius and his army. It was obvious. And after last week I am guessing that you were sent to do what he could not." She stood suddenly and stepped toward him. She watched him as he slowly backed away from her but still held that stubborn determination in his eyes. She couldn't help but admire his nerve. "Do you think you can kill me, Leandros? You had your chance last night but didn't take it. Why?"

Leandros's heart was racing. How had she figured it out and when had she found the scarf? He tried to stand his ground when she rose to her feet, but when she began to approach him he felt his resolve melt and began backing away from her. "Like I said, it wouldn't have been-"

"A challenge?" Xena finished for him.

He swallowed dryly. "Kill me. I can't help you."

"Oh, I doubt that, Leandros. I doubt that very much indeed." She smiled at him but it seemed to put him more on edge. Instead, she turned to look out of the window. The moon was full and suspended behind the cloud made silver by the moonlight. "Good job you haven't run away yet because you have a decision to make. You can either help me, or I fulfil your wish. But think really hard about it for a moment, Leandros. Do you really want to die? Or are you just trying to prove a point to someone who couldn't care less." She looked at him then and saw the defeated look on his face and knew she had him.

Hesitantly, she reached out and touched his shoulder. When he looked up at her she smiled encouragingly. "Throwing away your life won't solve anything. Don't be a martyr. Help me to make a difference and make your life worth living."

Leandros bit his lip. "Why me? Why do you want my help?"

Xena hesitated before answering. She didn't want to tell Leandros everything; her thoughts on the task and the town or anything that she suspected to scare him off. She would tell him enough to keep him curious enough to tag along willingly. She had a hunch about Leandros and the town as a whole, but nothing solid enough to voice her suspicions. She also needed to tell him enough to think she entrusted him with information to see what he would reveal in the long run.

Xena adopted a deadpan expression to express the seriousness of her statement. "Because I need your help. I suspect I won't be able to find out what is going on here without you."


	7. Unexpected

**A/N:** Hello everyone! :) This chapter is a mix, filled with (hopefully) humour, mystery and enough drama to sate your curiosity. I admit that this story is moving by bit-by-bit but I want to make that you like it. Keep with me as I roll with the story. Everything will be revealed eventually ;)

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><p>Gabrielle awoke completely refreshed and the happiest she could remember feeling in a long time. Selena hadn't been kidding when she'd said that the rooms she'd given were the best she had. It had been a quiet night, the bed had been fluffy and she had fallen to sleep as soon as her head had touched the pillow. Being left to wake up naturally when she was ready instead of being screamed awake to fight for her life was a welcome feeling and made it easier for her to relax.<p>

She sighed happily as she slid her feet off the side of the bed and sat up, yawning. Gabrielle felt as though she was back home in Potidaea as she listened to the busy sounds of people moving around and chattering downstairs. She had no idea of what the time might be but by the rumbling in her stomach and the delicious smell snaking its way under the door, Gabrielle concluded that it was eating time.

She dressed back into her top and skirt, pulled on her boots and grabbed her staff before heading out the door. She noticed as she moved through the tavern that the people she saw were mostly older men with greying hair. As she was looking around she didn't notice the approaching form of a couple. She knocked into an old woman as she passed her and when she turned to apologize she saw something that made her look twice.

When the woman glanced up at her confusedly, Gabrielle noticed that her eyes were bright and sparkling; and she thought as she looked at her that if it wasn't for the aged outward appearance she would have thought that she was looking into the eyes of a young woman. Before Gabrielle could say anything to her, the young man that was with her held the old woman's hand and turned her away and they carried on walking the way they'd been heading before the collision.

Without a word, Gabrielle observed them as they left. The young man seemed protective of the older woman, holding her close to him as they walked almost as if he was protecting his lover rather than someone who looked old enough to be his grandmother.

Bewildered, Gabrielle descended the stairs to the rest of the tavern. As soon as she walked down the stairs it didn't take long to find Xena. She was sat at one of the tables in the middle of the room eating oatmeal from a bowl with Selena sat opposite her smiling.

Normally she wouldn't have been bothered with her talking to someone that she hadn't seen in years. It was normal to want to talk to them and catch up. But there was something about Selena that she couldn't put her finger on that put her on edge. Last night Gabrielle had noticed that she'd been almost possessive over Xena as she'd spoken to her and at times disregarded Gabrielle as though she wasn't there. She tried not to take it personally but she didn't want to feel as though she was fading into the background.

"Ah, we were just talking about you, Gabrielle." Selena said, her violet eyes wide and cheerful when Gabrielle approached them.

Gabrielle raised an eyebrow at her and Xena. "You were? Ah, what about?" she asked uneasily as she lowered into a seat next to Xena.

Xena said as she lifted a spoonful of food. "Getting a bath."

Gabrielle frowned and hit Xena's arm, making her miss her mouth. "What are you trying to say? If you think I smell then I would rather you be more forward about it to me rather than telling everyone else."

Xena rubbed her arm with a grin. "I wasn't saying that, Gabrielle. I was just saying that you might want a bath because Selena and I have already had one this morning. While you're getting a bath I can talk about the situation with Selena to get information and then decide what our next course of action should be." Xena explained.

"Oh," Gabrielle said, feeling rather stupid for her outburst. She tapped her finger against her staff and then got back up again. She smelled the shoulder of her top. "Well, I think I might as well go and get one then. Roughing it with you in the outdoors leaves my body feeling less than clean." She said and then turned on her heel to head for the basement of the tavern.

After she was gone Selena raised an eyebrow at Xena who just smiled and carried on eating her oatmeal. Xena shovelled the rest of her food onto her spoon and then pushed it away with the bowl once she'd finished. As she was wiping her mouth she asked Selena, "About the people in the village, Selena. Do you have any ideas of people that might want to hurt you? I need to know if there are any that stand out from the rest so I can short list the people that may be responsible."

With a sigh Selena sat back in her seat. It wasn't a conversation that she wanted to have but it had to be done. There was no way that Xena would be able to find out what was happening unless she told her everything she could.

"Many have expressed their dislike for me." Selena said, pulling at a loose strand of her hair as she thought. "But there are a couple that have made it perfectly clear that they would rather I go to Tartarus than stay on earth."

Xena frowned. "Who?"

"The main priest from the chapel in the centre of town is one of them. He's one of the zealots that say that I am an _abomination_ and risk corrupting the goodness in town. Then there is another but I haven't seen him in over a week. It's like he just disappeared. I think he might have left town but I don't know. There is something odd about it."

Xena was intrigued. She sat up, listening. "Odd how?"

Selena's tiny smile fell from her face. "He was called Theodorus and lived at the edge of town. He was well known for being quite outrageous because he was the second richest person in town. He liked to flaunt it in people's faces He was also one of the men who offered to marry me. That was, of course, until he found out I was a sapphist. When it got out and became town gossip, the humiliation kind of drove him insane and he made it clear that he wanted me wiped out of existence." She tightened the tie holding her hair up. "He threatened me publicly a few times and even sent someone after me a while ago to warn me to stay away from him. Then one day it just stopped. Nobody has heard from him in days and of course I'm being blamed because I was the last to see him alive."

Selena reached forward and put her hand on Xena's when she saw her purse her lips. "But Xena, I didn't do anything. I swear it."

Xena sat back. "It looks like I know where to go first then. As soon as Gabrielle's had her bath we are going to go see this priest you mentioned. But I want you stay here. I don't want to give these zealots a chance to do anything. Is there anyone that you trust you will be safe with?"

Selena thought for a moment and then smiled. "I would trust Dantorix with my life. I'll stay with him until you get back." Suddenly her smile turned into one that almost looked sad as she reached out with her other hand to encase Xena's fully. "If I can entrust this mission onto anyone it would always be you. I know you'll get to the bottom of this, Xena"

~X~

Gabrielle sighed contentedly as she lowered herself into the bath brimming with hot water. Steam rose from the water, blurring her vision of her surroundings. But she didn't care. This was the most relaxed she'd been in a while and she wasn't going to waste her time gawping around the room when she could be relaxing into a hot bath. It beat having to jump into every river and pond she and Xena came into contact with to get the chance to wash. Not that she minded it, but the water was always either cold or riddled with fish.

She laid her head back against the edge of the bath and closed her eyes, letting the water work its magic on her body to relax her muscles and the tension she felt in her shoulders.

A slight knock at the door alerted her and she turned in the bath, hiding her naked body behind the cover of the wooden panels of the bath. "Someone's in here." She called. She waited, wondering if whoever it was heard her and would go away after realizing the bath was occupied. Gabrielle relaxed again when no one came in. It seemed they got the hint and left.

When she'd rested enough she began the cleaning process. The task was long and arduous; scraping the dirt from her skin with the rough cloths was not only painful but embarrassing. The dirt from living day to day without the proper accessories to maintain suitable hygiene and from sleeping on the floor all the time created visible grime that floated amongst other muck. With a withering sigh she took a deep breath and submerged her head underwater.

As she was washing her hair below the water line, Gabrielle felt a strange prickling sensation at the back of her neck. It wasn't something that she felt very often but she knew what it was. But what confused her was the fact that she only felt it whenever she knew someone was watching her.

Concerned, Gabrielle opened her eyes beneath the water and came face to face with a strange form. It looked like a shadow at first as it floated there, but as its dark cloak drifted along like smoke it revealed a smooth face that was as pale as it was terrible in its beauty. She could hear her heartbeat pulsing in her ears as curiosity beat conscious thought and she reached out to touch it. But before Gabrielle could, the form's eyes snapped open and focused on her, its teeth bared and clenched together in a malicious smile.

Gabrielle tried to scream but the water subdued the sound of her pleas. She stood in the bath, breaking the surface of the water and the sound of her scream pierced the silence in the room. She panicked, jumping out of the bath and grabbed a sheet nearby to wrap around her before going back over to the bath hesitantly with her staff. She lifted it and poked it around in the water a couple of times, but nothing happened.

She frowned. There was nothing there. No smoky black form drifting in the water, no eyes piercing her soul or threatening smile. Just a bath. Tentatively, she reached in and broke the surface of the water with her finger and snapped it back quickly, expecting something to jump up and bite it. When nothing did Gabrielle backed away from the bath, her heart hammering away in her chest.

_What just happened?_ She thought as she sat carefully on one of the wooded benches lining the room and rubbed her eyes, waiting there until her heart beat slowed to its normal speed. Could she have imagined it? It seemed possible as she looked around the room. There was nothing at all in the room that would indicate that there was any sign of an intruder. But, as she spent the next minute drying off, she continuously found herself looking over her shoulder. There was a definite sense that she was being watched. There was something in the room, and whatever it was didn't want Gabrielle there.

She didn't even bother drying her hair properly as she grabbed her boots and staff and made a beeline for the door. She grabbed the handle and wrenched it inward quickly looking over her shoulder when she thought that the form might be following her. But as she turned towards the way back up to the tavern, she ran straight into somebody.

She stumbled back, apologizing vehemently. "Oh my, I'm so sorry, I…" she trailed off when she recognized the deep blue eyes and she lifted her staff defensively. "Oh, it's just you. Were you by any chance heading towards the baths? Hoping to get another peek were you?"

Leandros had no idea what the woman was talking about. He did notice however that Xena's friend seemed to be upset about something. She was stood there with her hair dripping wet, her clothes damp and her face white as a sheet. There was even a noticeable quiver in her voice when she spoke. Her big green eyes were wide and her attitude seemed frantic. Not to mention she was brandishing her staff around as though there was no tomorrow.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he lifted his hands to show that he meant her no harm but frowned at her when she didn't lower her staff. "You just can't wait to wave that thing around can you? What's the matter, have you developed the taste for beating unarmed men to a pulp or has it always been in your nature, girl?"

Gabrielle frowned, lowering her staff to stand beside her. After what had happened in the bathing room she was not in the mood for the young warrior. "No, only the rude, arrogant, depraved men that cross my path and just happen to get on the wrong side of my patience."

"I'm not depraved!"

Gabrielle raised an eyebrow at him as she thought to the previous night. "Get a good eyeful did you?

Leandros was losing his patience. Despite what he'd promised Xena, the little girl was testing his patience with all her accusations. He gritted his teeth. "Not much to look at if I'm honest. I've seen more padding on a harpy." He argued.

~X~

Xena sighed as she stood before her reflection in the mirror. Despite having a bath and cleaning herself up, she still looked as though she'd been in a decade long battle. Her eyes were tired and dark and she looked as though she could do with a lot of sleep. She reached up and released her hair from her tie and let it fall around her shoulders like a glossy black curtain. The slight change made her look a little better, but it couldn't hide the tiredness she saw in her own eyes.

Since arriving at the town Xena had felt constantly on edge. There was something about the place that was very wrong. Except the people she'd met in the tavern, everyone else seemed cold and brash and held an obvious dislike toward it. She couldn't believe that everybody hated Selena. It had to be something else, something that was causing such strife in the town.

She thought back to when she'd first arrived and started looking for the tavern. She'd stumbled upon a chapel that looked a little out of place with the rest of the town, but on the way, the houses she'd passed accommodated people who ran back into their houses or closed their shutters to her. The only person who had spoken openly to her had been the silver-haired stranger with the green robe and he himself had seemed a little strange. He'd warned her about the tavern before disappearing mysteriously without warning, and that didn't sit well with her at all.

Xena was wondering how she was going to carry out her plan to visit the chapel when she heard a commotion outside her door. It sounded like an approaching argument. She went over to her door, ready to ask whoever it was to take it somewhere else, but when she saw a flourish or gold hair and a yell of protest she decided to intercede.

She stepped forward and caught the staff in her hand before Gabrielle could use it. "_What_ is going on here?"

Gabrielle and Leandros pointed at each other, each looking as though they could rip each other a new one. They were talking over each other, attempting to tell their side of the story first. When Xena took in a deep breath and raised her hand they both fell silent like children.

"One at a time."

Gabrielle jumped straight in. "_He_ started it, Xena. He was calling me a harpy and trying to walk in on me in the bath and I am just not in the mood right now."

Xena could tell that there was something wrong. Gabrielle looked as though she'd seen a ghost; her face had a pasty complexion, she looked flustered and her hair was dripping wet. When Gabrielle looked up at her she seemed to send a silent message with her eyes and Xena knew to broach the subject when Gabrielle was ready.

Leandros shook his head, his annoyance as visible as the large red hand mark on his cheek. She didn't need to think twice about who might have left it there. "I didn't do anything, Xena. She started threatening me with her staff again just because I was on my way down to get a bath."

Gabrielle rubbed her forehead, turning to her friend. "Xena, when are we getting rid of him? It's only been one day but I don't think I can take much more of him."

Xena hesitated before answering. She knew Gabrielle wouldn't like her answer but she had to tell her at some point. She looked at her, a wry smile on her lips. "We're not getting rid of him. Leandros is coming with us and going to help."

Gabrielle stared wide eyed at Xena. "_Excuse me_? I don't think I heard you right. I thought you said he was _coming with us_!"

When Xena shrugged Leandros smirked at Gabrielle's obvious annoyance. "Poor you."

Gabrielle turned her frown on Leandros. "If it's true and you are staying with us then you better stay out of my way. I don't like fighting when I don't have to but I'll make an exception for you."

Leandros shook his head in mock-disbelief and smiled at Xena. "Your friend is ridiculous."

Gabrielle scowled. "_I'm ridiculous_?"

Leandros smiled. "Glad you agree."

When it looked as though they were going to start arguing again Xena grabbed them both by the scruff of their necks, lifting them until they weren't able to move and instead were extended on their tiptoes in front of her.

Xena drew a deep breath and looked each in the eye until they stayed quiet and just listened. "I am only going to say this once so you better listen well. We are here to help and this task relies on us working together. If neither of you can do that, there are going to be serious consequences. For both of you." She said and looked at Gabrielle as well so she knew she meant it. "There is something going on here but I'm not seeing the big picture yet. I need you both of you but having you two fighting each other is going to make finding it out counter-productive and in the process make me really angry. So I suggest you sort out your differences so we can get on with this. Okay?"

When both Gabrielle and Leandros nodded at her she smiled and let them go. They stumbled a little until they regained their footing and resumed glaring at each other silently. That was until they noticed Xena glowering at both of them and they reluctantly shook each other's hand.

Suddenly, Xena smiled and rubbed her hands together. "Right then. Let's get moving, shall we?"

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><p>Review? :D<p> 


	8. Zealot

**A/N:** **_Hi everybody. I've kinda realized that this story is very slowly but surely turning into a bit of a drama/mystery/comedy kinda thing. I know some stuff might not make sense yet but the story is still in its early stages. I wanted to give you, (the reader), some things to think about to tease your curiosity :) In this chapter you get to see that there is definitely something up; this and the last chapter are bringing a darkness into the story. Hope you enjoy!_**

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><p>Xena led the way through the quiet town. After the first five minutes of blatant staring she ignored the looks that she was getting from the townsfolk and instead focused her attention on setting her plan out in her head. Again, she noticed as she walked through the streets that the people they passed were either really old or extremely young. It looked strange. Babies were being carried by women that looked far too old to be mothering children or too weak to even hold them, and the parents were nowhere to be seen. There was no sign of many adults or young people. She noticed that there seemed to be a lack of men around the town. She realized as they got closer to where they were heading that she, Gabrielle and Leandros were the ones that probably looked out of place, being they were the only ones around that looked young amongst everyone else.<p>

She kept her eyes peeled for any signs that they were being followed as they made their way to the centre of town, all while trying to maintain her serenity. Behind her Gabrielle and Leandros were quietly bickering like children, thinking that Xena couldn't hear them as they picked at one another's faults and flaws. It didn't make sense to Xena. Gabrielle wasn't normally like this. She usually talked her way out of arguments or rose above them but it seemed that this young man annoyed her on some level that even she didn't seem to understand.

"So, _Gabrielle_ is it?" Leandros glanced over her. "What does it feel like when you wear such skimpy clothing? Is it cold or do you normally keep yourself warm by exercising your weapon on strangers?"

Gabrielle sighed, ignoring the throbbing she felt in her head. This man was giving her a headache and regardless of what Xena had warned, she was becoming increasingly close to hitting him again. He was rude, immature and just plain annoying. He was still sporting a bruise on his temple and his cheek was still red from where she'd slapped him this morning.

"Yeah, how is your head, Leandros? Still hurting?" she quipped.

Leandros touched his bruise tentatively. "It was a lucky shot. If I had realized what you were going to do you wouldn't have stood a chance." They glared at each other and continued to follow behind Xena.

When he glanced up at the warrior princess, Leandros saw her head flicking from side to side, and when he looked too he saw that the reason she was looking around was because they were being stared at. He didn't like it. Their small group seemed to be the centre of attention for some strange people.

As they passed a row of houses he saw a child, a little boy who couldn't have been older than three waving at their little group. He smiled back, glad that not everybody seemed as grumpy as the next. But the woman he assumed to be the boy's grandmother picked him up and after a pointed glare at him, carried him into the house.

He lowered his hand. "This town seems…friendly." He muttered ironically to Gabrielle.

Gabrielle had witnessed the old woman swiping the little boy up in her arms and briskly taking him into the house as though she was trying to protect him from danger. She couldn't understand it. They weren't posing any danger; at least, they weren't trying to.

"They seem to be frightened." She said surprised.

"I know," Leandros looked down at Gabrielle. "But I don't know how they could be frightened of you." When Gabrielle started to frown, he rushed his next words. "I don't mean in a bad way. You just don't look as dangerous as Xena. You look more like a peasant like them or something."

Gabrielle stopped and leaned on her staff. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Leandros shook his head. He had tried to give her a compliment as a way to make conversation that didn't end in him being beaten. He pointed down at himself as though it would help his case. "Well, look at me and then look at you. You don't exactly look like a warrior to me."

Gabrielle smiled wryly. "Looking the part means nothing if you can't step up to it."

Xena had overheard Gabrielle's wise words and couldn't stop the smile she felt creeping onto her face.

"Are you trying to say I'm not a warrior?" Leandros accused.

Gabrielle smiled and continued walking, leaving him behind. He caught up quickly.

"I'm right aren't I? That's what you meant. Well I'll have you know that I'm known by many other warriors."

"As what?" Gabrielle asked. She thought she might as well go with it.

Leandros hesitated. He hadn't expected her to rise to his bait but ignore him instead. He didn't want to look a fool so he made something up. "Leandros the-"

"Hey can you two hurry up? I would feel better knowing that I can see you. We aren't exactly in friendly company right now." Xena said and then emphasised her point by glancing around them.

Gabrielle did the same and felt her stomach fall a little at the looks they were getting from the townsfolk. It seemed they had been watching Gabrielle and Leandros closely as they argued and found it mildly interesting enough to open their shutters to observe.

Xena hadn't let it slip her notice the strange switch of behaviour of the people when they witnessed the arguing amongst her friend and the young warrior. It seemed almost as if they wanted them to fight. It was disturbing. She looked back at Gabrielle and Leandros and gestured for them to catch up to her. When they reached her she lowered herself enough so that they could hear her.

"Stay with me, no matter what happens. And try and stop bickering. They seem to almost feed off it." She looked up and saw an old woman nearby. When she smiled at her the old crone frowned at her hatefully and turned away. "They seem repulsed by kindness." She noted quietly.

Gabrielle frowned. "This place just gets stranger and stranger." She looked back at her friend as she lifted herself back into a sitting position in the saddle and nudged Argo forward. "Where is it we're going by the way, Xena?"

"To the chapel in the middle of town."

"Why?"

Xena looked ahead of her. She could already see the spiked spire above the roofs of the houses before them. They weren't far away. "Because that is where the zealots that hate Selena are. They are our first suspects. They've made it clear that they wish Selena wasn't here. I just want to question them as to why."

Gabrielle bit her lip. "Yeah, Xena, I was wondering about that. Why would anyone want to hurt Selena? I mean, I can't see anything wrong with her. She's perfectly nice, she owns a nice, clean tavern and she's friendly to her customers. Why would anyone want to hurt her, or better yet, put a _bounty_ on her head?"

Xena looked at Gabrielle and pursed her lips as she thought. She didn't know if Gabrielle knew what Selena was or what it meant, but she didn't think Gabrielle would mind or see her any differently. She looked over Gabrielle's shoulder and saw Leandros looking at her expectantly as well. She didn't want to raise the subject whilst in inappropriate company about her friend's sexual identity. It wouldn't be right, especially since it wasn't her right to divulge Selena's personal information. "About Selena…you can ask later when we get back. But for now we go there, okay?"

Confused but trusting, Gabrielle nodded and followed beside Argo until they reached the building Xena pointed out as the chapel.

When they reached it moments later, Gabrielle noticed that it looked beautiful in comparison to the rest of town. In the daylight the building seemed to glisten as though it was made of sparkling rock; the colours entrapped within the walls were reflected by the sun's light. The walls were stone and bordered by columns of hefty wood that looked as though they were built to be steady and withstanding. Along the wall surrounding the double doors to enter was the same ivy she'd spotted twisted around the arch at the entrance, but this kind was blue and red. It looked beautiful and gave the building a sense that it should be in a forest rather than the middle of town. Directly above the door in the centre was a symbol that Gabrielle had never seen before. After looking at Xena and noticing her perplexed expression, she guessed she hadn't either. It looked like a hexagon with a golden apple placed within the centre; the whole symbol seemed crafted from iron and hung from a chain implanted into the wall.

Xena glanced around the building and frowned. The chapel looked like any other temple she'd seen based on the outskirts of numerous towns she'd visited in the past. But the closer to the building she got, the more she wanted to be away from it. She got a strange ominous feeling that made the hairs on her arms stand up. She felt a ripple of power emanating from the doors as she reached to pull at the door handle. It was the same feeling she'd been experiencing all day, but where that had been a small pinch here and there, teasing at her consciousness, this was more obvious.

Gabrielle noticed Xena's hesitation and approached her. "Xena?" she said, touching her hand.

Xena looked up at Gabrielle. She looked fine, unaffected by the power coming from the building. "Can you feel that?" she asked.

Gabrielle tilted her head, eyebrows drawing together ever so slightly. "Feel what?"

Xena looked up at Leandros and saw that he was alright as well. Was it possible that she was just imagining it? She was very rarely wrong and she was sure that she felt something. Still, she shook it off with a crooked smile. "Never mind."

Pulling at the handle, the door opened outwards, revealing an interior as beautiful as the outside had been to Xena, Gabrielle and Leandros. She heard her friends' murmurs of appreciation as they cast their eyes upon the decorated central area.

Running along each sides of the chapel were silken banners that ran and swooped from column to column, twisting around each shaft before moving onto the next until they stopped at the very end where a wide platform was raised. In the centre of the platform was a marble table with offerings of different kind of foods and pot jugs that Xena assumed were filled with wine. Around the edge of the table a thin line of dinars could be seen and seemed to run around the whole of the table.

"Oh, wow. Look, Xena!" Gabrielle gasped, reaching out to touch her and grab her attention.

Turning to her friend, Xena looked in the same direction she was and tilted her neck back to look up at the high roof; thick beams ran along the width of the structure to hold the roof up and hanging from every interval was a wrought-iron candelabra chandelier in the shape of a ball, filled with candles already lit within them.

Along the white stone floor were shades of different colours that spilled across the smooth surface and stretched along the floor. After inspection, Xena concluded that the colours came from the windows containing different colours of glass, reflected by the strong sunlight pouring into the temple.

Leandros was staring too at the rainbow of colours with a look of awe and wonderment. "Is that what the romans call stained glass?" he asked, glancing up at the window. He approached the window and lifted his finger to delicately stroke the smooth surface. He turned with a boyish grin. "It's beautiful."

Gabrielle found herself smiling as she walked over to join him at the window. When she looked at him, she saw no trace of a warrior before her, but the image of a boy, curious about colours and exotic things. The change tugged at her sensitivity. "Do you mean you've never seen it before?" she asked incredulously. When he shook his head and stared back at the coloured glass, Xena spoke from behind them.

"I've seen a lot of stained glass in in my travels but none more than those I saw in Egypt and Rome. I once observed a glass maker create a piece once. It's quite a delicate job to do, but the results?" She paused and then smiled, gesturing up to the window. "Well, you said it yourself. It's beautiful."

Gabrielle turned her smile on Xena. "You think it's beautiful, huh? Are you going to stop and smell roses next, Xena?"

With a smirk, Xena rolled her eyes at Gabrielle and poked the end of her nose. "Don't push your luck. Just because I'm a warrior it doesn't mean that I can't enjoy the finer things in life."

Gabrielle grinned. "And these finer things you speak of would be?"

Xena pulled her friend into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "My family,"

After a moment of appreciating its simplistic beauty, they started toward the marble table in the centre of the platform. Before they reached it however, a man clad in a long, thick looking robe moved from out behind a pillar. Xena recognized him immediately as the man who had spoken to her the day before, except now he was wearing a talisman around his neck and he was frowning at their little group.

"I know you." Xena said. "You were the man that spoke to me yesterday."

"Yes." He said simply. He moved away from his spot and walked over to the table, clasping his hands behind his back. "What can I do for you?"

"Are you the main priest here?" Gabrielle asked him.

He waited for a moment, silently watching them and then nodded slightly. "Yes. I am Moris, high priest of the temple of Aletheia, the goddess of truth." He said with a flourish of his arms, acting as though he was addressing a bustling crowd of worshippers rather than a handful of people.

"What does Aletheia have against Selena and her tavern?" Xena asked calmly.

Moris wrinkled his forehead as though he was trying to think and then sneered. "Ah yes, the sinner. She is an aberration to the town and to mortal kind. Her very existence in this town has already caused a rift amongst the people. One man has even gone missing. Did she tell you that?"

Xena felt Gabrielle and Leandros's expectant gaze. She gritted her teeth, trying to maintain her calm. Since entering the temple her head had started throbbing and it was getting worse by the second. It felt as though some invisible force was trying to wear her down. "Yes, she has already told me. That and she said that everyone suspects her. Do you have any proof that she caused this disappearance?"

Moris smiled. "No physical evidence is required. Everyone witnessed the harlot and the poor young man arguing the day he went missing. Even I can say that I had beheld the violent exchange. When he disappeared it was painfully obvious that it was her fault." He paced before the table as he spoke, obviously enjoying the fact that he was getting to them.

Gabrielle could feel the tension rolling off her friend. Xena was stood beside her, her stance rigid and her fists clenched tightly but her face betrayed no sign of the dislike that Gabrielle could see she felt for the man. She had to admit, the man annoyed her too. He had a self-righteous, pompousness about him. He spoke of Selena as though he knew her, but she noticed that he showed obvious refusal to voice her name as though it would be a sin to him.

Gabrielle shook her head. "You can't blame a woman for something that she may not have done. If you have no evidence then Selena is innocent until proven otherwise. It would be a crime to condemn her under false pretences."

Moris stopped and glared at Gabrielle. It took everything she had in her not to wilt under the unusual hate filled gaze of the high priest. "That _harlot_ and her _whorehouse_ is an abomination to this town!" he spat vehemently. "It used to be so quiet, but now nearly everybody has left. If you haven't noticed, there is a shortage of young people out there. Once the true nature of the she-demon came to light nobody wanted to stay here anymore." The priest said accusingly, pointing violently towards the door they had come through.

"Selena's tavern is perfectly nice. What have you seen to make you think it's a _brothel_?" Gabrielle finished the sentence with a cringe, not liking the word on her tongue but at least it was a little better than what Moris had said.

Xena clenched her jaw. "You've heard that there is a bounty on my friend's head, haven't you." It wasn't so much a question but a statement of fact. When he didn't speak she took his silence as a yes. She took a step forward, aware that Gabrielle was keeping close by just in case she was needed. "Of course you have. I want to know who ordered it."

The high priest's mouth curved into a smirk. "I know that you must think it was me, or a member of the temple. It's true that we do not favour the sinful life a _sapphist_ chooses to follow. But we are the priests of Aletheia, goddess of truth. Killing another mortal life, or ordering it would be a direct sin to the goddess herself. For what is more honest and truthful than life?" he preached.

Gabrielle frowned in confusion. "Sapphist?" she looked at Leandros who shrugged. When she looked at Xena she noticed her friend had become almost like stone. Her blue eyes looked as though they held the power to cause damage, and from the look that she was giving the priest, she guessed that Xena wished she could. She touched her arm gently. "Xena?"

Xena hardly felt the soft touch of her friend. She was too busy trying to figure out what the shimmering ripple of darkness was that seemed to hover near the priest was. She had the ability to feel when a deity was nearby, it helped her to flush out Ares whenever the troublesome and arrogant god decided to stop by and attempt to seduce her back to him with lies and promises. She could also identify most by their own signature power that radiated from them as they approached. Xena knew that there was a godly power nearby; she could feel it pulsing around the inside of the temple. The closer she stepped to the priest the more tangible it became to her. Almost touchable.

"If you were so sure about yourself and your goddess you would know that love is not a sin." Xena argued.

At the mention of love, Gabrielle's mind clicked and she knew what they were talking about. Images of Selena fawning all over Xena, staring at her adoringly and the accusations of the high priest helped to kick her mind into gear and she understood. "She loves women?" she muttered to herself.

Xena, Leandros and the high priest's eyes flicked to Gabrielle. It wasn't until she looked up that she realized that everyone was staring at her. She felt her face flush with heat under their combined gaze.

"It's disgusting, isn't it little one?" Moris said, speaking as though he spoke for them both.

Gabrielle shook her head. "No, Xena's right. Love isn't evil. How can it be when it's the most potent force on earth?" she smiled at the priest which seemed to annoy him. "It doesn't matter what form that it comes in, just as long as love exists, right? That has to be the truth to life. I'm sure Aletheia would say-"

"_Do not_ presume to think that you know what the goddess thinks, says or wants little girl! I am her high priest and her will is spoken through me. Her will is the way of truth!" Moris spat angrily, descending the stairs to approach Gabrielle, an unusual fire in his eyes.

Upon his frighteningly fast approach, Gabrielle stumbled back uneasily. Before Xena could intercede and stop the priest from getting too close, Leandros stepped up and put himself between Gabrielle and Moris. The priest staggered to a halt, frowning when he saw the young man before him, a protective determination in his expression and stance.

"Leave her alone!" he said, his voice strong with authority. "Gabrielle speaks freely and honestly. Isn't that what your goddess encourages and stands for? Truth?"

Although impressed by Leandros's courage, Xena watched out the corner of her eye as the ripple of movement disappeared from Moris's shadow. As if a veil had been lifted from him, Moris blinked and stepped back in surprise when he realized how close he was to Xena and her small party. He seemed like a different man in the way he looked at her group with curiosity rather than hatred like seconds before. She watched him as he glanced at Leandros and realized when he saw his protective stance that something was going on. He turned to look over his shoulder as though he was looking for an attacker, but when he saw none he looked back at them, confused.

"What are you doing here? Is this some sort of jest?" he asked accusingly, glaring at each of them in turn.

Leandros stood frozen, surprised from the sudden change in the priest. He looked over at Xena who looked as confused as he did.

"No, we aren't joking, and this certainly _isn't_ funny." Xena said.

Unaffected by her serious tone, the priest pointed to the table. "If you are here to make a contribution to the goddess Aletheia then the table is on the platform. However, if you are here to horse about then I suggest you take it elsewhere. This is not a playground, it is a place of respectful worship." He scolded and then turned to head to the table himself.

As he was walking away they all looked at each other, equally surprised by how things had turned around. Gabrielle looked from Xena to the man still standing protectively in front of her. As he turned he seemed to realize what he had done and moved away from her, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sorry…I," he said nervously, moving out her way so she could walk.

Gabrielle shook her head, waving her hand. "No, no, it's fine." she glanced up at him briefly and saw how embarrassed he looked.

Xena watched the awkward exchange with amusement. It made a change from them arguing. _At least its progress,_ she thought.

While Gabrielle and Leandros were trying to out apologize each other, Xena watched the high priest while he was tending to the offerings on the table, and though the pulsing power had disappeared and the man was no longer hostile, the whole situation seemed to have gone from bad to worse in a matter of seconds, filling her with a concern and a foreboding feeling she could feel in her gut.

She had no idea what was going on in this town, but she was going to find out.

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><p><strong>Getting darker isn't it? lol Hope you liked reading this chapter.<strong> **I'll try to update as soon as I can :D**


	9. Phenomenon

**A/N:** _**Hey guys. Thaks for sticking with me through the story so far. I want you to know that I really appreciate your reviews and PM's and take on board your critisism and suggestions. Some of you wanted more Xena/Gabby time so this re-edited chapter is for them. Enjoy! :D**_

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><p>Gabrielle watched, concern worrying her thoughts as she watched her best friend pace back and forth in front of her bedroom window. They had been back for hours now. After Xena had talked to Selena for a while to collect more information from her, they had sat along with Leandros and Selena to eat dinner. After he'd eaten, the town healer had come to check up of him to make sure that he was okay. Once he was given the okay, Dantorix had given him a special remedy and requested he sleep. Afterwards, Xena had excused herself and Gabrielle to Xena's room so they could talk, leaving Leandros to go to his own room.<p>

But they had hardly talked. Xena had been quiet, silently thinking to herself as she paced. It was driving Gabrielle insane. She wanted to know what Xena was thinking. Every now and then she would stop, but just when Gabrielle thought she was going to say something to her, she would continue pacing again or look out of the window.

Xena went over everything in her mind. She tried listing everything that had happened so far so that she could figure out what was going on and what her next move would be. But every time she seemed to be on the verge, something would knock her back mentally. It was as though something was scrambling her thoughts, preventing her from thinking straight or she was missing something plainly obvious.

She looked over at Gabrielle and saw her watching her expectantly. She'd been sat there waiting patiently, but even Gabrielle couldn't hide the edginess she was so plainly expressing.

"Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle sat up, surprised that Xena had spoken. "Yes?"

"What happened earlier? This morning when I came out of my room you looked…shaken." She said for lack of better word.

She watched as Gabrielle gnawed her bottom lip. "I'm not sure how to explain it. Before we left for the temple this morning…I saw something."

Xena felt her eyes widen. "Like what?"

Gabrielle fidgeted, thinking back to the incident in the bathing room that morning. She saw again the dark eyes and menacing smile and it made her shiver. "I don't know." She answered honestly. "But Xena, it wasn't like anything I'd seen before. I know this is going to sound a little farfetched but, it almost looked like a ghost. But it was so real."

"A ghost?" Xena echoed. She looked out of the window, watching as the town was starting to go to sleep. From where she was she could see lights going out; the owners of the houses snuffing out the flames from the candlelight in their window before closing the shutters. The streets were eerily quiet. Not a single soul could be seen out in the dark night, not even a stray dog or cat stalking around. It was _too_ quiet.

"Do you believe me?" Gabrielle's' unsure voice said.

Xena turned to her. "Of course I do. I'm just trying to think." She scratched the back of her head as she started pacing again.

Gabrielle sighed and patted the space next to her. "Xena, come sit. You're going to wear out the floorboards at this rate."

Xena rolled her eyes at her comment but sat next to her. "Do you remember before we were going into the temple? When I asked you if you felt anything?"

Gabrielle thought back, remembering Xena's hesitation. "Yes, you looked worried about something."

"I felt something Gabrielle, and whatever it was wasn't friendly." She felt Gabrielle tense beside her and looked up. "Try and remember. What did this _ghost_ look like?"

Gabrielle brought her eyebrows together. She hated seeing it in the first place; she didn't want to relive the memory again. "Xena, I don't think it was an actual ghost. I was probably just having a bad morn-"

"It doesn't matter. Just tell me what you remember." Xena insisted.

"Okay," Gabrielle closed her eyes as she relived the memory. "I saw it when I was taking my bath. I opened my eyes under the water, and when I did, I saw it. It was just floating there. At first I wasn't sure what it was. I thought it looked like smoke. But then, it started moving."

Xena noticed her friend's eyebrows furrow deeply at the memory as if what she was seeing was causing her grief. She sat so that she was facing her properly; making sure to take in everything that Gabrielle was saying as she compared it to her own memory.

With her eyes still closed, Gabrielle continued. "But then it showed its face. It looked so beautiful, Xena. Its face was as pale white as the moon but smoother than marble. And then it opened its eyes and glared at me." Her eyes flicked open then as if she was afraid of what she was seeing in her mind. "When it smiled at me…Xena, it was evil whatever it was, but at the same time it was horribly alluring. I didn't know what to do so I jumped out and ran. That's when I bumped into Leandros."

Xena smiled momentarily. "Yeah, I saw the present you gave him." she said, referring to the hand mark Gabrielle had left on his cheek.

Gabrielle flushed, hitching her shoulders up to her ears. "I didn't mean to do it, but he was calling me a harpy. Do I look like I have feathers and a beak?" When her smile faded a little she looked up at Xena. "I don't think he was really going to walk in on me in the bath. I just overreacted."

Xena shook her head. "That was my fault. You were in there a while and I thought you had got out so I sent him down to the bath. It sounds as though it was a good job you got out when you did."

She frowned for a second as she thought back to when they'd argued. "You know, I wasn't going to do anything but when I slapped him, it felt like my hand had a mind of its own."

"Are you saying your hand flew out and hit him itself?" Xena asked carefully.

Gabrielle picked at the fur near the top of her staff distractedly. "I know how it sounds, Xena. But I didn't do it. He made me feel as though I wanted to slap him, and then the next moment it felt like my hand didn't belong to me." She said her voice barely above a whisper. She sighed greatly. "It seems I've been doing a lot of what doesn't feel right lately." She stared at her staff, almost glaring. "I've noticed that I've become too hasty with my staff."

Xena sensed her friend's sadness and placed her hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. Gabrielle looked at her. "Hey, don't blame yourself for what comes naturally. You were defending yourself, right? There is nothing wrong with that."

"But what if Leandros says is right? What if I _am_ becoming too dependent on it being the answer all the time? He made a snide remark about me developing a taste for hitting people. But what if it's true?" she pressed her mouth into a thin line and Xena noticed her bright green eyes become haunted. "What if one day my hasty actions cause the death of an innocent because I act first and think later?"

Xena reached for her friend's hand and held it tightly. "You won't do that. You're not that kind of person, Gabrielle. And even if you did I know you wouldn't mean to do it. I know you wouldn't intentionally harm an innocent." Her voice reached a gentle quality as she spoke. "You _are_ a _good_ person, Gabrielle. I used to be lost, but you changed me. Hercules may have shown me the path but you have walked down it with me, standing by my side every step of the way. You are my light, illuminating the path as you guide me through the darkness. You're not a murderer."

Gabrielle smiled at the confidence Xena had in her abilities and felt her heart swell at Xena's comment about her being her light. "Thank you." She said quietly, gently resting her head on Xena's shoulder.

Xena smiled, closing her eyes for a moment, savouring the calm silence. She lifted her hand around Gabrielle's shoulder and delicately stroked her friend's golden hair comfortingly. It felt like it had been ages since either of them had properly spoken to each other. Xena had been preoccupied with Selena and trying to get to the bottom of the problem that had arose for her old friend and now things had become stranger, confusing Xena further with the occurrence in the temple. Whereas Gabrielle had been faced with the unexpected displeasure of a young man who unconsciously seemed to cause her hassle without the effort.

Xena chuckled slightly to herself. "And don't worry about Leandros. Despite him being part of Darius's army he's harmless."

Gabrielle lifted her head and looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Harmless? Even though he's a member of an army that wants to kill you?"

Xena smiled wryly as she rose to her feet again, heading toward the window to look out. "_Darius_ may want to kill me but…_Leandros_?" she shook her head. "If he wanted to kill me or you _he_ would be dead right now. And if he wanted to go back to the army he would have left already. He would have run back as soon as he could. Even now, he's unguarded and been given his own room but I can guarantee that he'll stay there all night and still be there in the morning, willing to do out any job I give him."

"Why?" Gabrielle and Leandros may not have gotten off on the right foot but even she had to admit that, apart from trying to get free and teasing her, he hadn't shown any violence toward her or Xena. He seemed happy enough to follow along after them without causing any difficulty.

"He's young," Xena smiled slightly. "He doesn't want to go back. And as much as he may want to be, he's not a warrior."

Gabrielle leaned against her staff as she lifted herself back up onto her feet and walked over to stand beside Xena. They both looked out of the window and up at the night sky. For the third night in a row, the moon was suspended high in the sky, a small cluster of feathery silver clouds slowly drifting along in front of it to obscure its shape from onlookers. The stars that peppered the night twinkled brightly as though they were winking at them from the heavens.

"The sky is so beautiful tonight." Gabrielle whispered admiringly as her eyes skimmed across the skies looking for constellations.

Closing her eyes, Xena leaned against the window sill, letting the cool night breeze ruffle her fringe and caress her face. "Yeah."

They were quiet for a while, wordlessly appreciating the calm silence. But Gabrielle, as much as she tried, couldn't stop thinking about what had happened earlier in the temple. She fidgeted in her spot, sighing. Xena looked out the corner of her eye and saw Gabrielle staring unseeingly out the window. She looked distracted, her mind miles away. Part of her face was covered in shadow from the drooping roof, but the other half was pale, the colour of her hair and skin leached by the moonlight that spilled into the room.

"What's wrong?" Xena asked, closing her eyes.

"I wonder why he stood in front of me." Gabrielle said, expressing her thoughts aloud. "He looked as though he was trying to _protect_ me from that priest, didn't he?" before Xena could say anything, Gabrielle carried on. "And what was wrong with that priest, Xena? He seemed…well, not himself. He seemed a little closed minded and crazy."

"He was being influenced." Xena corrected. "I wanted to know what that ghost was that you saw earlier because I saw something in the temple and I wanted to know if it was the same thing."

"Was it?"

Xena opened her eyes, frowning. "I don't know. It disappeared before I could get a proper look at it. But I think it knew I could see it. I was staring directly at it when Leandros stood up to the priest. When he did that I think it was shocked because it left straight after; I felt its power go." She looked at Gabrielle and saw the surprise on her face. "I could feel it before I entered the temple."

Gabrielle made an 'O' shape with her mouth as the realization struck her. "That's why you asked me?" She bit her lip as she thought. "So _was_ it a ghost or something else?"

Xena shrugged. "I'm not sure, and that's what's bothering me. I can feel a god's presence and sense when there is an enemy nearby. The only problem is trying to figure out what this is." She clenched her fist. "It's not any normal enemy, and if it was a god I'm familiar with I would at least have a little feeling that would tell me which one. Whatever it is I'm convinced it has something to do with this town one way or another. If it can influence a high priest then there is no saying what else it can or can't do."

Gabrielle tilted her head slightly, watching Xena. "About the priest. What he said about Selena being a sapphist…"

"Just ignore him, Gabrielle. I'm not sure even he was sure what he was saying." Xena said, turning away to look out of the window again.

"But he upset you." Gabrielle pointed out.

"Of course he did! He was saying horrible things about my friend. It doesn't matter what she is or who she loves; a friend is a friend. The way she lives her life shouldn't be despised or ridiculed! I would have been upset if he'd have said anything about you!" Xena scowled and then sighed. She kneaded her forehead. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you-"

Gabrielle touched Xena's arm reassuringly. "No, it's alright. You were just standing up for your friend. I understand that; I would do the same for you."

Xena turned to her, a reflective smile curving her lips. "You already did. Remember? Back in Amphipolis?" she asked, lifting her arm around Gabrielle's shoulders to pull her into a hug. "Those villagers were ready to stone me to death. But you jumped in and talked them out of it."

Gabrielle chuckled, remembering the scene vividly as though it happened yesterday instead of years ago. "I was only a teenager back then. I was more naïve than anything. Thinking back it was probably a silly thing to do. I could have been pelted with stones along with you if my plan hadn't have worked out the way it did." She looked up at Xena and saw her blue eyes flash with amusement. She smiled warmly at her best friend and her voice lowered to almost a whisper. "But I wouldn't do anything differently even if I had the chance to go back. I couldn't just stand by while they did that to a hero."

Xena hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead. "Oh, Gabrielle. Don't you see? That day _you_ were the hero. _You_ saved _me_."

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><p>P.S Thanks to Kikilia14 for pointing out mistake :D<p> 


	10. The Phantom Goddess

**A/N:** _**Hey readers. This is only a short but it introduces the "Dark Force" that has been influencing things since chapter 2. I wanted to name her but there are some hints to her identity hidden within the chapters. She will be named later but for now she is, **_**The Phantom Goddess!**_** xD Happy Reading!**_

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><p>Playing with the new mortal girl had been funny; watching her squirm and panic as she escaped from her bath when she had materialized in the water had cheered her up. Especially when the girl came over with a puny stick to poke into the water as though it would help her. Even if she'd stayed in there instead of hovering around the ceiling, the stick wouldn't have done anything to her. She was immortal after all.<p>

She'd watched, glaring at the girls back as she watched her dry herself. How dare she enter her town? She and her friends hadn't been in the town for long and they were already on the road to fixing everything she had worked so hard to destroy. She had thought that because Dreyas was small town in the middle of nowhere, situated atop a hill of a place people rarely visited, she could have her fun. But no, someone had to come along and ruin it.

She had tried to make them leave before they even entered when she felt their approach. Looking over their small band, the mortal tied to the horse had been the easiest target. But before she had done anything, the woman astride the horse had thrown the rope and ridden off into town, leaving her friends. It had annoyed her that one had separated and she couldn't get them all together as she had planned, but she still had her fun. While the man had being near fainting from lack of food she tipped him over the edge, creating an illusion to confuse and hopefully scare them off. When it didn't work she kept her calm. Right up until the other goddess had turned up. She'd had no choice. To keep from being identified, she needed to flee until it was safe again.

It made her feel so pathetic and weak to hide from another, but if she wanted to take the place, she needed to be careful. It seemed to her that the goddess answered the call of the little blonde mortal, thus setting back her plans. Annoyed, she fixed the girl as her next target.

She had her chance to cause mischief after the other goddess has relocated them to the healer's house. She'd spied the girl receiving medical attention from the healer. The blonde mortal already looked uncomfortable, but it wasn't enough. So, when she was baring herself, she influenced the unconscious young man; prodding at his conscience until he left Morpheus's realm. What had unfolded before her eyes had resulted in the first joyful laugh she experienced in over five hundred years.

But despite her efforts to annoy and cause enough mischief to convince them to leave, they had stayed the night. It irked her as she floated around the blonde mortal how much she seemed not to care about the embarrassment and humiliation. She had worked over it, apologizing and talking to her friend. But when the goddess realized that there was someone that seemed to be doing a better job at annoying her, she put in the effort to make sure he continued.

When she thought the strong one was starting to become suspicious she attacked her mentally, deluding her and wearing her down physically; throwing her strength back at her to tire her, giving the goddess time to create further discord between the blonde and the boy. It worked for the most part. There was already a noticeable rift between them, caused by suspicion and hostility. All she had to do was play on it.

A perfect opportunity presented itself when the girl escaped her bath and ran out frantically into the basement where the boy was heading. She pushed them into each other and sat back to watch them blow up. And sure enough, the girl's fear from the incident in the bath and the suspicion she held toward the boy was enough to make her feel vulnerable to lash out at him. As the boy was trying to talk her down, the goddess whispered at the blonde's mind, reminding her of the night before where he'd seen her and made her defensive again and aggressive.

The goddess left then, satisfied that she had caused enough strife to make them want to leave. The temple had been as decorative and beautiful as ever. But not for long. Her clueless followers would soon return with more equally clueless men to turn into brainless slaves to feed her power and she would finally be able to destroy the temple to make room.

She felt at the top of her game, stronger and as cocky as she'd ever felt as she glanced around the interior, making mental alterations. Which was why it was such a blow to her ego when the mortals walked into the temple _together_! She fumed silently from her alcove as she watched them admire the temple that was soon to be hers.

Thinking quickly, she took control of the high priest, bringing him out of his prayer to force the mortals out. Knowing the priest was stuck in his ways she allowed herself to alternate between his own words and hers. For a while it looked as though her plan was starting to get the desired effect. The strong woman was getting angry and touchy and the other two looked as though they didn't want to be there. Which was fine for her, because she didn't want them there either. She waited, pushing further, making the priest more and more hostile to pressure them into leaving. But the goddess felt something very strange while she played with her puppet.

She looked up from her toy and looked over at where the feeling was radiating from. The strong one, the dark haired warrior that the two travelled into the town with was looking over in her direction. The goddess shook her head, scoffing. It was impossible. No mortal could see an immortal that was hiding intentionally.

She glanced behind her, wondering what it was that she was looking at. She even moved to see for herself properly, moving the priest with her. But when she looked again, the warrior woman was looking at her. _Directly_ at her in the spot she'd moved to! Then she stepped forward, ignoring her friend's touch and spoke. To the others it may have looked as though she was speaking to the priest, but she knew that what she said was meant for her.

Angry that the mortal woman was challenging her, she influenced the priest to react in kind to her emotions so that he spoke his own opinions to the younger ones and her own to the warrior. But the more she let herself go, the more she spilled into the priest's soul and lost control. He broke away with her rage and started for the young girl.

She reached out with her power to hold him but before she could, the boy that had annoyed the blonde to no end stood before her protectively. Fury shot through her as she witnessed his courage against the raging priest. She felt her power slipping and tried to grab hold of the priest's consciousness again. But out the corner of her eye she saw something flash. Peeking out from under the boy's rough tunic was a small silver object attached to a thick piece of string. The necklace didn't look important until she felt her power being repelled back from the priest.

She hissed at them all, aware that she couldn't be seen, albeit one however vaguely, and turned to dematerialize, vowing silently and vehemently to herself that she'd be back soon.


	11. Reassigned

**A/N:**_** In this chapter I wanted to give Leandros a proper introduction. Hope you like it! Happy Reading! :D**_

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><p>Leandros awoke with a jerk, breathing hard; his heart beating mercilessly against his ribs. With eyes still heavy with sleep, he glanced around his room as he reached atop the table beside his bed to grab the silver candle stick he knew was there. Once he felt the cold metal he curled his warm fingers around it and he held it ready as he scanned the room. But there was no one there.<p>

He frowned. He was sure that he felt a presence in the room with him. Even now as he sat up in his bed brandishing the candlestick, he felt as though he was being watched. He felt as though invisible eyes were on him, burning into him.

"Who's there?" he called, making sure to keep his voice low. From the weak light coming through the thin curtains he could tell it was still only very early. He was sure his short-term companions would still be asleep.

He drew back his covers and planted his feet on the floor. The rough texture of the rug scratched against his bare feet. He shook his head as though he could shake the remnants of sleep from his drowsy head and rose to his feet. As a cold chill swept over his bare chest, he shivered and frowned toward the window. As much as he tried he couldn't remember leaving it open the night before.

"Hello? Xena? Gabrielle? Is that you?" he asked the empty room. He stumbled tiredly toward the door and pushed down the handle.

After a look up and down the empty corridor he concluded that it was probably his imagination. He lowered the candle stick, letting it hang loosely from his fingertips as he walked back into his room, closing the door behind him. He was not in the mood for this. The town was strange enough without the tavern being morbidly unsettling too.

Replacing his makeshift weapon back to the small wooden bedside table, Leandros sat on the edge of his bed and rubbed his eyes. He winced in pain when his hand brushed too close to his bruised temple. He muttered a curse under his breath as it started throbbing again. After a quick look he found the small clay pot the healer had left last night and picked it up. A sweet, minty scent lifted from the pot when he removed the lid and began rubbing some of the light green salve on his bruise.

He hated the smell of mint but he liked the effects of the salve. Within seconds the pain in his temple started to ebb the more he rubbed it in. He sighed with relief when it was completely gone. The only thing that bothered him now was the smell.

He lay back in bed, crossing his hands behind his head as he looked up at the ceiling. He had hoped to drift back off to sleep, but an insistent rapping sound nudged him away from the veil of sleep. He looked up at the window, waiting for the sound to come again. When it did he sat up, positive that he saw something hit the glass.

He left his bed to investigate. Pushing aside the curtains he looked out of the window. There was nothing that he could see in the restricted light. It was almost sunrise so the mask of night still cloaked everything in darkness. Still, he saw a movement near the base of a tree and hid himself so he could look out in safe concealment.

Another object hit the window. A stone. He frowned in confusion. Somebody was out there.

Looking again he saw a figure stood before the thick trunk of a tree, shrouded within the shadow provided by the tree's leafy canopy. He moved so that he was in full view of the window when he saw the figure flourish a rag of silver and green. Reaching for his own coloured scarf within the confines of his hidden jacket pocket, Leandros waved his too to confirm his identity.

The figure approached the tavern nimbly, climbing the wooden crates stacked near the wall. When it stopped a body's length below, Leandros recognized the face of the dark figure as he looked up. He fell his heart fall to his feet.

"_Ivan_?" he whispered harshly. "What are you _doing_ here?"

Ivan glared. He obviously didn't like the way he was being spoken to but he kept a cool manner and kept his voice hushed. "Darius sent me to see if you've done your job yet."

Ivan stood six feet tall in height, a little taller than Leandros and was bulkier than him too. His squared jaw and sharp features were intimidating enough, but he was built heavy as well which was why Darius used him as his bodyguard when he wanted to raid a village and not get hurt. His size, wit and callousness made him a dangerous man as well as a formidable opponent.

He was Darius's right hand man; always there when important matters arose. Whether it was when his opinion was needed for things as big as deciding to start a battle with a large enemy or as small as being asked which colour trousers Darius should wear. Leandros hated him. Not only because he was taller, stronger and ruthless, but because Darius paid more attention to him and treated Leandros as any other expendable soldier.

Leandros glared back at the man staring expectantly at him. He tried not to grit him teeth as he spoke. "_No_, I haven't."

Ivan scoffed and crossed his thick arms across his brawny chest. "I know."

"If you know then why did you ask me?" Leandros snapped.

"I wanted you to hear it too so you can be reminded of how weak you are." Ivan smirked. "I've been following you for the past day. You're pathetic. You've had countless opportunities to run her through but, I knew you wouldn't be able to do it." He scratched his beard, contemplating. "I'm surprised they kept you alive. The warrior princess isn't known for keeping many of her enemies alive." Suddenly his brow furrowed deeply, his brown eyes glaring once more. "What did you tell her? Does she know who you are or why you were sent?"

Leandros felt fear clench in his gut. Xena knew that he was part of Darius's army and that he was sent to kill her, but she didn't know why. He suspected that was the true reason she kept him around and alive. He hadn't believed her when she had said that she needed his help. Leandros wasn't as smart as she was, nor as talented in combat, but he knew when he was being lied to. There had to be another reason she wanted him around and his own curiosity influenced him to stay.

He gripped the window sill tightly, unwilling to admit his failure in detail. "She knows my name and knows that I tried to kill her and her companion." He exaggerated a little while disclosing his story, not wanting to reveal how everything really happened to prevent Ivan from gaining new information to mock him with. "She is holding me captive, but doesn't seem to mean any harm yet. She may be working out a way to use me."

He waited for a moment, wondering as he watched Ivan whether he would swallow all of this. Ivan was pretty smart and could normally suss out when he was lying. He always had. Leandros could remember all the times he had tried to take things from him as a child. Ivan had encouraged him to steal as a way to help mould him into the warrior Darius wanted him to be. But even as a child Leandros knew the difference between right and wrong and always found the concept of taking what did not belong to him petty, underhanded and immoral. It went against everything his mother had taught him. In the end he used his power of persuasion to convince one of the other boys to steal for him. Darius was delighted when he handed over the item he'd 'stolen' but Ivan had known better and revealed his deception, knocking him further down the chain. He'd come to be known as the Gentle Warrior which was an insult in every way. Because of Ivan, the other soldiers laughed at him, treated him like a woman and gave flowers to taunt him and left him with the trivial jobs, such as cleaning the clothes and washing the pots.

Ivan scratched his beard again, looking unconvinced. "I find that hard to believe, but the rumours surrounding the warrior princess's reform would suggest that she is different, so maybe it's not completely unbelievable. If it is true then we may be able to use this to our advantage. Darius has chased her for years for what she did to our village, but the damned woman always seems to elude us. It might be worth having a man on the inside."

Leandros swallowed thickly, not liking where this was going. "What are you suggesting?"

Ivan smiled a terrible, scheming smile. "What I am suggesting is that _you_ act as that man. Stay with her, get to know the bitch and find out her weaknesses and what she knows then report back to me so I can tell Darius and we can make plans to kill her once and for all." Noticing Leandros's hesitation and lack of enthusiasm, Ivan frowned and stepped closer on the crate. "If you don't then I will relay back to Darius how pathetic his beloved little brother is and how easy it was for him to be captured. I'm sure it will fill him with pride to know how easy you were beaten."

Leandros glared, feeling the heat rise in his face. His hands tightened into fists until the wood bit into his fingertips. Ivan noticed his anger and seemed to revel in it. He smirked. "Are you going to be a good boy and do it, or should I leave and tell your brother not to bother with his promotion?"

"I can do it." Leandros growled through gritted teeth.

"Good." Ivan nodded in satisfaction making his greasy black hair bounce around his eyes. He looked up at the sky and when he noticed the rapidly approaching light he glanced back at Leandros. "I'll come back in two days, make sure you've got something worth telling or I'll kill you myself. I'll update Darius about the situation change." He said and turned. As he approached the edge of the crate, he glimpsed over his shoulder at Leandros watching him from the window.

"Two days," he warned and dropped out of sight.

With a hiss, Leandros slammed the window shut and yanked the curtains closed.

What had happened? It seemed as though things just got a little more complicated, and with everything that was going on he just didn't want the further hassle. He should have lied and escaped through the window to re-join Ivan and Darius. But if he was being honest with himself he didn't know whether or not he would have gone even if Ivan had suggested it. He hated being in a warlords army and he hated Ivan even more. He was only in it because Darius was his brother.

Before their mother had died from pneumonia she had made them promise to look after each other. Leandros had only been eleven, but he took her last wish and promised it with his heart. He had never thought his brother would turn to thieving. It killed him inside, but Darius was his only remaining family and for better or worse, he would stick by him and protect him.

Leandros shook his head, clenching and unclenching his fists as he sat on the edge of his bed. Resting his elbows on his knees, he dropped his face into his hands. He wanted to cry and yell at the same time, but despite how kind the tavern owner seemed to be, he doubted Selena would appreciate an unwarranted wake up call.

Before he could fall back into the comfort of his bed, a knock at the door demanded his attention. It seemed he wouldn't be allowed any sleep this night. With a frustrated sigh he lifted himself away from his bed and went over to the door. With his mood still as it was with Ivan's unexpected and very unwelcome visit he all but wrenched the door open.

"_Yes_?" he said gruffly. His heart stopped. "Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle's loose fist fell into open air when the door flew open. She stepped back, shocked when Leandros answered in nothing but his shorts. His torso was bare; his broad, hairless bronzed chest solid and well defined and his stomach muscles were chiselled and lean. A necklace adorned his neck; the silver oval shaped trinket falling within the ridges of his muscles. She averted her eyes, blushing unexpectedly when a rush of heat travelled over her body.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to…" she glanced up when he disappeared from the door only to come back moments later with a thick, woollen robe draped over him, covering him. "I heard a bang and, well, your room is right next to mine. So I just thought that…" she cleared her throat. "Are you okay?"

Leandros swallowed thickly when his mouth suddenly turned bone dry. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah, I was just…" he trailed off, looking over his shoulder at the window and then back at Gabrielle. "It became cold so I closed the window." He smiled wryly. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, it's alright. I was already stirring." Gabrielle said.

They were quiet for a moment, both looking away and then back again only to smile awkwardly before looking away again. After a few seconds they both breathed in at the same time, ready to speak but then resumed to cut each other off with '_you go first'_. Leandros stayed quiet and gestured to Gabrielle politely.

"I insist." He said.

Gabrielle smiled. "There is one more reason than me coming to see if you were alright when I heard the bang. I…um, yesterday at the temple. I just wanted to say thank you."

Leandros frowned, confused. "For what?"

Gabrielle bit her lip. "When the priest came toward me you protected me."

Leandros widened his eyes in realization and then rubbed his neck again, smiling nervously. "Oh, that." He felt his face flush with heat and knew he was blushing. He remembered vividly how he felt when he saw the crazy priest loping toward Gabrielle.

He shouldn't have cared, but seeing the fear in her eyes as he approached her had made feel fiercely protective and made him leap into action. He couldn't explain it. At that moment he had been willing to fight the priest if that had been what it had taken to keep her safe from him.

He shook his head, dismissing it. He didn't want to seem weak or odd to her. He knew she hated him for who he was. He didn't want to give her another reason to be wary of him. He favoured her words and smiles more rather than the end of her staff. "I wouldn't say that I protected you. He didn't do anything. He wasn't attacking."

"Yes, but if he had been, you would have protected me." Gabrielle said. "So thank you…for your good intentions."

Gabrielle was mature enough to know when she was right or wrong and she felt she might have been wrong about Leandros. Despite being part of a warlord's army he hadn't been violent or tried to attempt to kill them, though he seemed particularly talented in teasing. Xena had said that she thought he didn't want to go back. So maybe he wasn't as evil as she had initially thought he was. Xena _had_ said that he wasn't a warrior. She wasn't sure about that. He seemed standoffish but she thought that could be a front to protect himself. When she looked up into Leandros's deep blue eyes she saw a sensitivity there that shook and confused her but warmed her all at the same time.

He smiled broadly. "You're welcome…Gabrielle." He said sincerely, saying her name slowly and liking the way it felt to say it as it rolled off his tongue. He drummed his fingers against the door nervously, unsure of what to do next. He wanted to say more but after their rocky start he didn't know what he could say that wouldn't upset her.

"What was it you wanted to say?" Gabrielle asked quietly.

Leandros smiled, thankful that she hadn't left yet. "I-I just wanted to say that I was sorry. About, well, about me. I didn't mean to insult you. I was being…immature. You didn't deserve it." He said softy. He was ashamed of how he'd treated Gabrielle over the past couple of days. His mother would have knocked him around the back of the head with her rolling pin if she'd been alive to hear how he'd talked to Gabrielle.

Gabrielle felt a small jolt of affection a hearing Leandros's sincere apology. It was unexpected and surprising. "Thank you. I forgive you." Sensing his awkwardness, Gabrielle started backing away. "I should get back to sleep. Xena has a big day planned later."

"If it's anything like the trouble that happened at the temple then I'm sure it will be fun." Leandros said ironically.

Gabrielle rolled her eyes, smiling at his joke. "You come to learn that trouble normally comes looking for us, not the other way around. Just keep your wits about you and you'll be fine." Gabrielle yawned.

Leandros grinned. "Sounds like you're seconds away from falling to sleep on your feet."

With a tired chuckle, Gabrielle waved to Leandros. "Goodnight, Leandros."

He waved back, leaning out of his doorway to watch the girl as she opened her door and disappeared into her room. He waited for a moment, listening as he heard her moving around in her room before sinking into her bed.

"Goodnight…Gabrielle."


	12. Juliette

**_A/N: Heya everybody! :) Sorry that I haven't updated in a couple of days. I've been ill :( BUT! I managed to get this chapter done. Because my writing skills haven't been up to par because of my sniffles I'd appreciate it if you could PM if you find any spelling errors and such :D I found some myself and uploaded this edited version... Anyway, Happy Reading folks! :)_**

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><p>Xena noticed something was different as soon as she opened her eyes. She felt full of energy; her mental awareness was sharp again and her head was free of throbbing and cloudy thought.<p>

She pushed herself out of her bed, sliding on her arm and wrist bracers as she went over to the window. As she pushed aside the thin curtain sunlight spilled in from the sky; it was bright and warm and heated her face as well as filled the room. She was surprised to see as she gazed outward people moving around outside. Not just one or two dotted here and there. There seemed to be a small throng of townsfolk setting up a modestly sized market outside.

Unsure what to make of it, she left the window, grabbing her sword and sheathe and boots and left her room. There was a noticeable feeling of excitement from the people moving around in the corridor. Many of the people were actually smiling. After everything she had encountered so far, the new attitude didn't make her feel any better and she failed to share their enthusiasm.

After sliding on her boots and adjusting her scabbard on her back, Xena knocked lightly on Gabrielle's door. A few moments later a yawning Gabrielle answered the door, rubbing her eyes.

"Xena?" she said tiredly. "What time is it?"

"Morning," Xena noticed the darkened semi circles under her eyes and frowned. "Have you slept at all?"

Gabrielle stopped suddenly, standing straight. "Yes, I just...had a tiring night." She looked up and down the corridor, noticing how full it was. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Is something wrong? Why are there so many people about?"

Xena shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out. I'll meet you downstairs. I need to talk to Selena to see if anything is wrong."

Gabrielle nodded, disappearing into her room briefly to grab her boots and staff while Xena left to push her way gently through the busy crowd, knocking on Leandros's door as she passed.

Shutting her door gently, Gabrielle pulled on her boots, smiling awkwardly as some people closest to her watched her hop about on the spot trying to get her boot on. Seconds later Leandros's door opened and he peered out, looking down the corridor. When his head twisted around to look at her he smiled.

"Good morning, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle couldn't help but smile back. "Morning." She pulled on her other boot properly and approached him. Thankfully, he was dressed in his dark material trousers and long sleeve dark tunic, but she still remembered what he looked like beneath his clothes. She stepped back when he left his room and closed the door behind him.

"Was it you that knocked on my door?" Leandros asked, turning to her.

She shook her head. "Xena. She went to talk to Selena. We should probably catch up."

With a nod, Leandros gestured for her to go first and followed behind her. The corridor was packed with people; they were talking amongst themselves in clusters and looked almost…_happy_. As they passed them Gabrielle thought the change was strange, almost as if they weren't the same people that had been in the tavern before she'd gone to sleep.

Gabrielle felt Leandros following close behind her. With the limited space they hardly had room to keep from knocking into people and each other. She felt a strange rush when his arm brushed against hers.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to get in your way." He apologized when he realized he'd knocked her. He stood back enough to give her space to breathe.

She shook her head. "It's alright."

They managed to get past everybody in one piece and descended the stairs to the main part of the tavern. After a quick look around Gabrielle saw Xena and Selena talking over near the fireplace. As she and Leandros approached, Selena smiled, noticing them.

"Good morning, both of you. I trust you had a good night's sleep?" she said cheerfully.

"Yes, thank you, Selena." Gabrielle said.

Xena noticed Leandros standing quietly beside Gabrielle. "Leandros? What about you?" when he looked up at her she saw a look in his eyes that concerned her. She kept her face straight. "I heard a bang last night and a noise that sounded like talking coming from your room. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Leandros felt his blood turn to ice and refrained from reacting to her words. Had she heard? Had he and Ivan not talked quietly enough to keep from being discovered? His breathing became shallower as Xena approached him. What would she do if she knew? Would she spare him? He felt his resolve crumbling under her penetrating stare. He would tell her and she would kill him. He was sure of it.

"He was talking to me last night, Xena." Gabrielle explained, stepping forward. She touched Xena's arm with a smile. "I heard the bang too and because his room is next to mine I went to see if he was alright."

Leandros saw Xena's eyes widen a little at the revelation. She looked from him to Gabrielle. "You two were talking?" she looked up at Leandros for confirmation and he nodded stiffly. She narrowed her eyes, not completely convinced. She trusted Gabrielle, but she got a strange feeling when she saw the unsure look in Leandros's eyes. He had looked shocked when Gabrielle had explained.

Selena smiled, putting her hands together joyfully. "Ah, it sounds like a midnight rendezvous." She stepped forward to stand next to Xena and nudged her with her elbow with a wink. "It seems they have made up after all. And you thought they would argue for days."

Leandros flushed at the tavern owner's suggestive words. "No…it wasn't anything like that."

Gabrielle stared at Selena wide eyed. She seemed happy at the thought of Gabrielle with a man. When the priest had spoken of Selena being a sapphist Xena hadn't denied it and last night when she brought it up, Xena didn't share much on the subject. From the look Selena was giving Xena she felt that she had more than an old fan on her hands.

"Right Gabrielle?" Leandros said, waiting for her to confirm it.

Gabrielle shook her head. "No. We just talked."

Selena's smile faded a little but it still touched her eyes. "Oh well, it's only a matter of time. Come, let's have breakfast." She said, gesturing over to the round table nearest the window.

As they sat, Selena looked up at the man tending the counter. "Silas! Breakfast."

Silas stood a head taller than Xena and looked twice as wide. He wore loose fitting clothes but Xena knew from the size of him that he was probably built strong beneath the material. As he raised his hand, his loose sleeve fell back revealing a strong arm. He looked like a cross between a warrior and a farmer. His short hair was black and streaked with white highlights, making him look older than he was; though if she had to guess, Xena thought that he only looked in his early thirties.

Silas nodded and began fixing their meal. As he was doing that, Selena faced each of them in turn, smiling.

Xena sat forward, leaning her elbows on the table top. "Selena? Who are all these people? What is going on outside?"

Selena put her hands together, her eyes lighting up. "There is to be a festival. The Caravans of Crete have come into town. Apparently they visit annually, bringing exotic wares that they have collected on their travels. They bring colourful clothes and fabrics, food, scrolls and jewellery that we wouldn't find in our country. I've only been here just over a year but they were here last time when I first moved." She sighed happily. "I can remember how I felt the first time I walked around the stalls. It was wonderful; the lights, the music, the dancing, the food. It was one of the most memorable nights of my life."

Gabrielle sat forward as well, interested in hearing about these people. "You said they fetch scrolls?"

Selena nodded. "Yes. Mostly they're stories that we wouldn't hear about over here because we live so high in the hills. I collect them whenever I can. Sometimes the scrolls have stories in them or epic poems that sway the heart and capture the imagination of those lucky enough to cast their eyes upon them." Xena noticed her eyes suddenly glazed over as though her thoughts were far away. "And other times they…have songs. Wonderful songs…"

Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other, noticing the strange expression that overcame Selena's features when she fell silent.

"What else do they bring?" Leandros asked, interested. He'd never heard of the Caravan of Crete. Being in Darius's army had excluded him from a life outside the army, and resorting to stealing hardly let him live a leisurely life and open opportunities to venture out.

Selena blinked. "Oh, nearly anything you can think of. They brought with them games, clothes and food that was so delicious you couldn't help but indulge in a second helping. There was an artist that came with them last year. I'm not sure whether she has come again, but we shall find out later."

"An artist?" Leandros asked, his voice becoming soft.

Xena looked out the corner of her eye and saw Gabrielle staring at Leandros as he gazed off into the distance, his thoughts his own. Gabrielle was looking at him, her expression a strange mix of wariness and curiosity. It seemed to Xena that even though they seemed to be on speaking terms with each other Gabrielle remained guarded, but not so much that she had completely closed herself off to him as she had done before.

She pondered quietly to herself, thinking back to how Leandros had reacted before they'd sat together. He had seemed strained, as though in the past day _something_ had changed. He seemed to unconsciously refuse to look her in the eye and had almost frozen when she'd asked him to explain the cause of the noise during the night. Initially, she had thought that maybe it would have been one of Darius's men, coming to claim Leandros back. But here he was, sitting with them.

Xena leaned forward so she could see him more. "What's wrong? Don't you like art, Leandros?"

Leandros jumped a little and turned to discover all three women's eyes were on him. He fidgeted. "I don't mind it. It's just; being a warrior…it doesn't leave room to appreciate art."

Selena reached over and touched his hand, smiling as she did. Leandros felt a cold chill run over his skin when she touched him but he did his best not to react to it. It could have been just that her skin was cold in the early morning. But then, the sun was out and it was bright. Even the warmth on the inside of the tavern was almost visible in the way that the occupants were wiping their brow with the back of their hand.

He looked up at her; taking in her sharp features. Her wide smile brightened her violet eyes greatly, making them sparkle in the light. She looked happy. Almost too happy.

"Then you will get your chance here. Seeing as you are here helping your companions, why not indulge in a little sight-seeing and exploration? Maybe you and Gabrielle could look around the stalls when they have set up; look for some scrolls or art? And then after you could watch a show? On the first night of the festivities they always hold a show."

Leandros smiled slightly, pulling his hand away carefully. "We'll see."

Silas came over with four bowl carried on a wooden tray. After placing a bowl in front of each of them he stood back, waiting. It wasn't until Selena flicked her hand silently at him that he turned and walked away.

"He seems quiet…and loyal." Xena noted as she watched him silently return to his duties.

Selena rested her elbows on the table, lacing her fingers together and then laid her chin on her joined hands. She looked at him too. "Yes, he is. He was opposed to me at first when he found out about me. But I brought him around." She brushed her long, fiery hair over her shoulder and smiled slightly. "He was as narrow minded as the rest of them but he eventually started seeing things as I do."

Xena looked at her friend carefully, noticing the curiously hard look in Selena's eyes. When she realized she was looking at her, Selena smiled and sat up, digging into her breakfast enthusiastically. "Eat up. Silas makes the best oatmeal in town."

~ X ~

It was midday; the sun was at its highest point in the sky blazing down with a noticeable heat upon the earth. Gabrielle sighed as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. As she cast her eyes around the outside of the tavern she could see heat waves rolling across the ground, making the plants and sand waver. The stalls Selena had spoken of over breakfast were near enough set up, but it was obvious that the people who had set them up weren't ready. The wares she'd spoken of and the people were nowhere in sight, though the small market looked lovely and brightened the dull town.

Many small stalls sat adjacent to each other, a red and purple silken banners weaving around the head of each one to combine them together and look identical to the ones assembled opposite them. Around the base of each one was a small torch-like stand with an iron casing around each head. She guessed come nightfall they would be set alight to illuminate them in the darkness. As she had recalled their last visit to them in detail, Selena had explained that the Caravan of Crete sometimes carried on through the night.

Gabrielle sat heavily on the bench outside the tavern and closed her eyes, letting her face soak up the heat of the sun.

"You look tired." Xena chuckled as she sat next to her.

Gabrielle didn't bother trying to open her eyes. She hardly had enough energy to lift her eyelids. "It's…so…_hot_." She sighed. She flinched when she felt something cold touch the bare skin of her arm and she finally opened her eyes. When she looked down she saw that Xena had pressed a metal tankard full of water against her arm. She took it gratefully and started drinking. "Thank you."

Xena smiled and sat back, thinking as she looked over the small market set up. The wooden stalls started a little distance away from the tavern and seemed to wind around, following the houses as they continued into the middle of town. After a little inspection earlier she noticed that they stopped before they reached the temple of Aletheia and seemed to give it a wide berth, much like the rest of the houses. She didn't recognise the colours or any of the symbols embroidered onto the banners that wound around the apex of each stall.

"Do you know when everything will start?" Gabrielle asked, resting the tankard on her knees as she directed her gaze toward the stalls again.

Xena shook her head. "No. Selena didn't say when they started…only that they finish when they feel they have accomplished something."

Gabrielle felt her eyebrows draw together slightly. "Accomplished something? Like what?"

Xena shrugged. "I don't know." She bit her lip.

"Did Selena tell you more about Theodorus?" Gabrielle asked, raising her cup to her lips. She savoured the chilled crispness of the water in the heat, but as she moved it to the side she felt the cold soothe the hotness in her cheeks. She closed her eyes, loving the feel of the cool metal against her skin.

Xena shielded her eyes with her hand. "Yes, but it was all very vague. She recalled the last time she saw him, which happens to be the last time she argued with him. She said after they argued he stormed off out of the town carrying his things. I asked a couple of the people inside of the tavern but they weren't much help. Some of them hadn't even heard of him."

Gabrielle frowned. "That doesn't make sense. You told me Selena had said he was the second richest person in town? That kind of reputation is bound to attract attention."

Xena frowned at the sun. "Exactly." When she looked at Gabrielle she recognized the same bemusement she felt.

None of this made sense. If he was who Selena said he was then near enough every person in the town should have known who he was or at least knew of his reputation. It confused her to think that there were some who had never even heard of him. It was a small enough town that everybody should have known of nearly everybody. Unless the people she'd asked had been living under a rock or were new to the town, there was no way that they couldn't have known of him. Especially when Selena had said that he was outrageous in his manners and personality. A person like that couldn't be missed in plain sight.

Gabrielle took one last sip and handed the cup over to Xena. "Do you think that maybe they're protecting him?"

Xena's hand stilled, the cup centimetres away from her lips. "I've considered that. But it still wouldn't make sense. From what Selena had told me he wasn't well liked by the people that did know him because he was bragged about his wealth. They wouldn't try to protect him." She sipped at the water.

Gabrielle pursed her lips as she thought. But it didn't matter how much she tried, she couldn't think of anything that would help them. So far the only people that seemed to definitely know of this Theodorus was Selena and the zealot priest from the temple of Aletheia, and she knew without needing to ask Xena that neither of them was in a rush to go back to the temple anytime soon.

Before Gabrielle could ask more about Theodorus, she noticed Xena sit up suddenly, lowering the cup to sit it on the wooden surface of the bench. She stood along with her when she heard the soft whinny of a horse and the sound of approaching hooves thudding against the gritty, sandy ground. Seconds later a horse appeared a little distance away through the arch. Astride the mighty silver mare was a figure clad in a thick purple velvet cloak, the cowl covering the person's face. They led toward the stalls and slowed to a trot when they spotted Xena and Gabrielle watching them. The rider stopped and slid off the side of the horse, brushing the mane before approaching.

"Hello, are you the welcoming committee?" came a soft, musical voice.

Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other. "No, we're just staying here for a while." Gabrielle said, smiling.

The figure pulled back the hood, revealing the face of a rather young and beautiful woman. She smiled as she unstuck her hair from where it had been cramped into the restricting space of the hood. "Oh, it's lovely to meet you anyway. My name is Juliette." She said, holding out her hand. Xena and Gabrielle shook it, introducing themselves in turn. Juliette's face lifted joyfully. "Gabrielle? As in Gabrielle the battling bard from Potidaea?"

Gabrielle blinked, surprised by the title. "Uh, yes. Do I know you?"

Juliette smiled widely. "No, but I know of you and your scrolls. I collect them when I can. Your stories are enchanting to read."

Gabrielle blushed at the compliment. "Thank you."

Juliette turned her smile on Xena. "And Xena, the very reason her scrolls exist. You are everything and a bit the woman she wrote. I feel a little underdressed to say that I'm in the presence of a two heroes and I dare say a legend."

Xena scratched her head uncomfortably. "I'm not a legend. I'm just a woman."

"Maybe, but the stories are what describe your exploits and tell people of how much you have changed and what good you are doing now."

Xena shrugged. It didn't matter how much people told her of how proud they were of her for the good she was doing, it made her uncomfortable to know that some people revered her as more than she was. She wasn't fighting evil to gain favour or fame; it was more to help make up for what she had done in her past. She knew that she could never erase the mistakes she'd made, but she wanted to atone or at least try before she died.

Gabrielle sensed her friend's discomfort and reached for her, rubbing her arm reassuringly. "We aren't heroes." She said, aiming her statement at Juliette. "We're just travellers, right Xena?"

Xena smiled. "Yeah. And if we happen to come across people fighting and have to join in and help sort the problem, then so be it."

Juliette smiled at them both. "Heroes, travellers…it doesn't matter what you think of yourselves. There are those who consider you both the good guys." She stood straight, casting her eyes around the town with a rueful smile. "I don't suppose you've seen the rest of my caravan party have you? They rode ahead of me to set up and I got lost on the way."

Leandros yawed as he stepped out of the tavern. It had taken ages to get away from Selena as she talked about the possibilities that awaited him when the Caravan of Crete set up properly. He didn't mind talking to her but there was something about her that he didn't like, but he could pinpoint what it was.

He looked up when he heard talking and felt his mouth dry suddenly. Stood talking to Xena and Gabrielle was a woman he'd never seen before. Leandros thought as he watched flick her hair over her shoulder as she looked around the town that she was incredibly beautiful.

Standing the same full height of Xena, the woman's long, platinum blonde hair fell like a shimmering curtain around her, it's length reaching her elbows. She had plaids on either side of her crown that seemed to wind around and meet at the back. She had a sweet, slender face; her skin pale – almost as if her face radiated moonlight from within. A sprinkling of freckles dusted her cheeks; giving her the unmistakable look of a youth and making her nymphish in appearance. Whenever she smiled it reached her big brown eyes and lit up her soft features, making him want to smile in turn.

She seemed to notice him and turned her smile on him. Her voice had a soft, musical tenor to it, bringing a calming effect along with it as she spoke. "Hello, we haven't met yet. I'm Juliette."

Leandros had to fight to get his words out. "L-dros…hello, um."

Xena and Gabrielle watched Leandros struggling to talk to Juliette. Xena looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "That's a strange way to greet a woman, Leandros."

"_Leandros_," Juliette said, testing the name. "The Lion Man." She stepped forward and took Leandros's hand in hers, gently drawing her fingertips over his own. She hummed to herself as she traced the lines of his palm and followed them up to the sensitive skin of his wrist. "Fitting name for a man who is so young, yet possesses a heart filled with courage and has so much to prove." Her voice dropped an octave but retained its light, sweet lilt. "The shadow you stand in eclipses your very soul, but to escape you must follow your heart to break free." Juliette glanced up, her brown eyes sparkling.

The beautiful woman's words and smile both enchanted and worried him deeply, leaving him speechless. She was still holding his hand in her delicate one, pressing her smooth skin against his. His heart raced as images raced across his vision, showing him his fears and wants in a matter of seconds.

When Juliette released his hand, Gabrielle saw Leandros stumble back looking surprised and confused. He stared at the woman in wonderment as she stood straight with a smile and reached up to unclip her brooch. As she tugged her cloak from around her shoulders, the fabric fell from around her, revealing her outfit. Gabrielle had never seen clothes like it before. It was silver in colour and seemed to be made out of some sort of flowing, filmy material that wrapped tightly around her form, emphasising her feminine curves and assets. Along the edges of the cloth were small jewels that dangled from thin string and looked dangerously close to falling off.

Before she had time to ask where she could put her cloak, Leandros stepped forward to take it from her and hung it over his forearm, offering to hang it up for her.

She touched his shoulder, smiling warmly at him. "Thank you."

Leandros felt his heart skip a beat and he felt his face heat. "No problem." He scurried around near her massive horse. "Is there anything else I can do? Take your saddlebags perhaps?" he asked hopefully.

Gabrielle watched Leandros in surprise. She thought as she watched him fuss over the woman that he reminded her of a puppy excited with a new toy. She raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to think as she observed him reach up to try and unfix her bags. He was smiling broadly as he carried the bags in each of his hands, not caring about the fact that he was obviously struggling with the amount. He passed her quickly, disappearing into the tavern without a word to neither Xena or Gabrielle.

Juliette chuckled, amusement lighting up her eyes. "He's sweet. Wherever did you find him?"

Xena smiled too. "We didn't. He found us."


	13. Finding Theodorus

Selena paced before the window, gazing out into the bright sunny day every now and then, trying not to think too hard. She mindlessly fiddled with her necklace; rolling her finger along the cold chain as she thought. But it didn't matter how much she tried. She couldn't think of anything else that would help Xena in her search. She had told her friend everything that she could, recalling every last detail she could remember the day that awful man had walked out of her life.

Theodorus

Just thinking his name made her shiver with hate. What he had done to her, what he had said. She couldn't help but feel glad that he had left town. But she wanted to help Xena find him so that if he was responsible for the bounty he could be brought to justice and either way she could find some form of peace one way or another.

She swept the hem of her dress to the side as she lowered herself into her normal seat before the fireplace. Sighing, she poked the frail, blackened wood still smoking within the hearth with the iron rod. Gods, she felt so useless. She wished there was more that she could do to help.

A bang and the sound of heavy breathing snatched her attention away from the fireplace and she twisted in her seat, looking toward the cause of the sound. Struggling in the doorway was the young warrior and Xena and Gabrielle's friend, Leandros. He was carrying armfuls of saddlebags and a cloak that was coming pretty close to trailing across the dusty floor. The poor man was sweating; his long brown hair almost escaping the leather tie he normally kept it up with. Loose strands matted to his forehead with sweat, but he looked anything but stressed, regardless of how he looked. He actually looked happy.

When he saw her he smiled ruefully over the bags piled precariously high in his arms. "There's a woman outside. I think she's staying."

Confused, Selena rose to her feet and came over to him, offering to take a portion of the bags. When she held one of the fur-covered satchels and turned it over, she recognized the symbol embroidered on the buckled flap. It was a picture of a star with a crescent moon running through it. She felt her heart jolt in recognition.

"Juliette is here?" she said, looking up at Leandros. The dazed look in his eyes and the dumb smile on his lips made her think that her guess was right. There was only one woman she knew that could cause such a reaction in the men she entranced with her beauty.

"…Juliette." he said softly.

Selena shook her head with a smile and gestured for him to drop Juliette's bags on one of the empty tables. "Just leave them there. Juliette never stays in the tavern." She said and stepped outside. She felt a difference in the temperature immediately. The air felt warm, stuffy and almost suffocating. She couldn't wait for the night when it became a little cooler.

She found them not too far from her tavern. They were stood talking and smiling, about what she couldn't tell, but they seemed to be getting on alright already. She hadn't seen her in a year, but Juliette hadn't changed at all. Her silvery hair was still the same length and her complexion was still as beautifully flawless as ever.

Pushing back her red hair from her face, Selena held up her hands as she approached. "Ah! Juliette, how wonderful it is to see you again." She announced sweetly.

Xena watched, interested, as Juliette turned from her and Gabrielle to face Selena. They seemed to know each other.

"Selena? Still as young and beautiful as ever?"

"You flatter me." Selena blushed, waving her hand. She gestured to Xena and Gabrielle. "I take it you've met my most honoured guests?" she said, smiling at Xena and Gabrielle.

Juliette turned to them. "Yes, they have been most welcoming. You have lovely friends, Selena." She glanced around to where Selena had just come from. "Where is that deliciously, handsome young man who helped take my bags?"

Gabrielle felt her eyebrow twitch. "If you're talking about Leandros, I think he is still inside the tavern."

Juliette smiled at her. "How could I not be? Underneath his rough exterior I sense an honourable man as well as a handsome one." She added with a wink. "He is a regular diamond in the rough." She smiled at Gabrielle's unconvinced expression and took her free hand in both of hers. "It's in the eyes, Gabrielle. You can tell a lot of a person's intentions and soul just by gazing into their eyes."

To emphasize her point she began to gaze into hers. With her hand still clasped between her own, Juliette turned it and began stroking the tender skin of her palm, tracing it with her fingertips. The sensation tickled Gabrielle's skin but she didn't move or break eye contact with Juliette. Her voice was soft and gentle, but at the same time tantalizingly transcendent and fixed her as much as her eyes did

Juliette frowned slightly, as though she felt a twinge of pain. "You have suffered a great deal in your young life, and sadly I sense it isn't over. But you have a long life ahead of you, as well as time to fulfil the greatness your destiny holds."

Gabrielle felt an unusual ominous chill roll over her skin, lifting the hairs on her arms. She didn't know why but the woman's words struck a chord somewhere deep inside her. She pulled her hand away gently, not wanting to offend this strange woman. "Um…thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

She seemed nice enough, but Gabrielle wasn't sure of her completely. She seemed to know things about people without needing to know them. Just touch them. That had certainly seemed to be the case with Leandros. When she had spoken to him earlier he seemed surprised or awestruck by her knowledge. It could be a trick. But then again, they seemed to genuinely not know each other. The same applied for her. Gabrielle was sure she'd never talked to Juliette in her life, but she seemed to know things about her future.

Xena, sensing Gabrielle's unease stepped closer and rested her hand on her shoulder softly. "Are you okay?"

Gabrielle nodded briefly and reached up to hold her hand.

They watched as Juliette smiled and clapped her hands gently together. As she looked around she adopted a planning expression. After a few seconds she pointed over near a far side of town. There was a clearing not too far away where there was a break in the houses, offering an accommodating space.

"I think I'll put my tent up there. It seems that my caravan have already started setting up everything else without me." Juliette announced with a rueful grin.

~X~

Gabrielle gripped her staff tighter, biting her fingernails into the wood as Leandros carried on his unending praise. She wouldn't have been so bothered if he had kept it to himself, but he seemed almost unaware of himself as he continued. More than once, his voice carried in the silence as he followed behind. His voice was almost sickly sweet in the way he described Juliette. It annoyed her.

Xena saw the screwed up expression on her friend's face and bent her head slightly to whisper to her. "What's wrong? You've got that look you normally get when you've lost a scroll."

Gabrielle sighed. "I'm just getting a headache." She looked over her shoulder at Leandros and saw him wearing the biggest grin she'd ever seen on his face. For some unfathomable reason his behaviour irked her. She'd rather he was trying to avoid her or insulting her. Just as long as he wasn't going on and on about Juliette. "I just wish he'd stop talking. What's wrong with him?"

Xena looked too. "I recognise that look. It's the look of worship." She nudged Gabrielle with her elbow and grinned. "Kinda reminds me of someone."

Gabrielle whipped her head around quickly. "I was never that bad!" Leandros sighed loudly behind them and Gabrielle felt her heart jolt, unsure. "Was I?" Xena's answer came in the form of a smile. Gabrielle glanced up at her friend. "What do you think of her anyway?"

Xena shrugged easily as they turned down a dirt path. "She seems alright."

"Leandros seems to think so." She muttered under her breath but Xena still heard her.

"I'm not surprised. She is a beautiful woman."

Gabrielle narrowed her eyes slightly. "Well, I guess so. But that's not what I meant. Do you…get any strange feelings about her or anything?"

Xena felt her heart skip. "No. Why would I?

It was Gabrielle's turn to shrug. They carried on walking in silence for a little while until Gabrielle couldn't stand it any longer. "What are we going to do about Theodorus?"

Soon after talking briefly with Juliette, Xena had told Selena of their plans to start looking for any trace of Theodorus. Xena didn't believe that he could just fall off the face of the earth. He had to be somewhere. She kept in mind the information Selena had told her whilst she looked. The first place she planned to look was his home. After asking around Xena found out that he lived not too far away from the centre of town.

"We look for his house and see if there is anything that might point to where he was going. If we do, we track him. When I find him I'm going to ask him if he knows anything about the bounty on Selena's head." Xena said, her voice becoming dark.

"What if he doesn't know anything? Who's to say that he might? Okay, I understand that he and Selena weren't on friendly terms but, he might be innocent."

"Innocent men don't flee."

It didn't take too long to reach the row of houses they were pointed towards. Most of them were just like the rest; dull, plain looking colourless houses. But there was one that stood out amongst the rest and Xena knew without needing to ask that it had to be Theodorus's house. The walls were lined with flowers and decorative banners. The small racks holding flowers sat under the windows, brightening up the house.

After a quick inspection, Xena approached the house and knocked on the door. They waited there for a while before Xena knocked again. But no one answered. Glancing around, Xena saw there was nobody about and opened the door, signalling for Gabrielle and Leandros to follow her.

The house seemed well looked after. On the walls hung pictures and more small and colourful banners. Various styles of vases adorned the many shelves that filled the room. But there was something about the house that made Xena the alarm bells go off in her head.

While Xena went into the main room, Gabrielle inspected the kitchen. In the middle of the room was a big wooden table, its chairs surrounding it. There was a cutting board sitting on the table; a knife and an apple lying beside it.

Curious, Gabrielle ran her finger along the surface of the table. When she pulled away, so did a thin film of dust that covered the pad of her index finger. She frowned, rubbing her fingers together as she continued to look around the room.

"How long did Xena's friend say the man had been gone for?" Leandros asked over his shoulder.

"Days I thinks. Maybe a week. Why?"

Leandros frowned, prodding the carcass of what looked like a rat with a stick. "Unless he likes decorating his house with death, I think he may have left sooner."

Gabrielle went over and covered her mouth when the rank smell of rotting flesh reached her nose. "Oh my…is that a rat?"

Leandros nodded and he turned away from it, concern on his face. He looked at Gabrielle, his expression turning serious. "I have a bad feeling."

Xena moved around the room, taking in her surroundings. She didn't like the feeling that had settled into her gut as soon as they entered the house. She had clocked the dead rat in the kitchen and from the sounds she was hearing, came to the conclusion that her friends had discovered it. But that wasn't what concerned her the most.

It wasn't just that the house had been left. It was that it seemed as though the house had frozen in time; as though Theodorus would come back at any time and resume his normal, daily routine. The main room had been set up as though he would come in any second and sit before the fire to read or eat. The fireplace had been set, ready for a fire for when the master of the house wanted to set it alight. A rug, though coloured dirty with a layer of dust, had been lain out before the fire and a half empty tankard of wine sat on the hearth. It was starting to look less like Theodorus was leaving and more like he had been getting ready to settle in for the night.

Xena walked over to an end table near the main chair and rifled through its draw, looking for anything that might help them. But all she found were slips of scroll paper, an inkwell and quills. Nothing of use. But she would continue looking.

Leaving Xena to continue searching the main room and Leandros in the kitchen, Gabrielle decided to go investigate upstairs in the hope that she would find something that would point them to where Theodorus may have decided to go. But as she started to climb the stairs, a familiar odour hit her nose and she stopped. It was the same scent that she had smelled in the kitchen with the dead rat. But, as she looked around her feet, she saw no more. Convinced that the awful smell was just lingering in her nose, she pressed on.

Gabrielle couldn't help but be impressed by the amount of wonderful artwork pictures and thread work that covered the walls as she reached the landing. They were so colourful and seemed to jump out at her. She was surprised to see a small statue; a bust of a goddess sat atop a thick and pricy looking column that reached her chest. She squinted as she ran her fingers over the marble and saw a symbol crudely engraved into the white marble. It would have looked nice, if not for the fact that it didn't look as though it were part of the statue. It looked as though whoever had engraved it had either not been a professional or had vandalized it. It was the same symbol that had been hanging from the temple they'd visited yesterday.

Gabrielle frowned, bringing her hand to cover her mouth and nose as the smell became more and more overpowering as she moved along the landing. It was an awful, rancid smell that seemed to seep through her tightly clamped fingers to burn her nose. It robbed her of breath and she had to turn away and crack open the window opposite the stairs. She breathed in deeply as the clean air rushed in.

After investigating the main room and finding nothing helpful, Xena followed Gabrielle upstairs. She frowned in confusion when she saw her stood before the window, hanging her head out.

"Gabrielle? Is there something out there?" she asked. But before Gabrielle could answer, the reason became clear. The smell hit her as soon as she reached her friend. Her suspicion had turned into concern when she glanced around the top of the stairs. The smell got stronger and more pronounced when she followed it to a closed door. The _only_ closed door.

Realizing Xena had stopped, Gabrielle turned and walked over. "What is it? What have you found?" she asked, noticing the unease in her stance. She reached toward the door handle and pushed open the door.

The smell of death came rushing out in an overpowering wave, stealing their breath and reduced them to gagging.

"Oh my…_gods_! Is that Theodorus? Xena? Is he…" Gabrielle said as she cast her eyes upon the prone form lying unresponsive on the bed.

Xena nodded, wrinkling her nose as the eye watering stench filled her nostrils. She looked over the poor man's pale face, taking in his sunken cheeks and slackened mouth. "He's dead."

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><p><strong>AN:**_**Hey readers. Sorry it's been a while since I last updated. Reality called :/ Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be up soon :D**_


	14. Burning Hearts

**A/N:** _In this chapter, Gabrielle tells a short story; using the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice, following the original Greek myth and not the series version of how it turned out. I just thought I'd mention it because I don't want to offend any hardcore fans :)_

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><p>It had been hours since they had found the body. Theodorus had been taken to the healer's house for Dantorix to determine the cause of death before allowing the body to be released to be burned. In the meantime, the townsfolk had come out from their houses to help gather the wood to create the funeral pyre that would take place later in the day.<p>

Xena stood before the window watching them all as she bit her lip. The people seemed to come together in this time of death. Despite rumours surrounding their dislike for him, they seemed obligated to honour him by coming together and build his pyre. The act moved Xena. She hadn't believed the quiet, cold town would do such a thing. But there they went, helping each other to gather and carry the wood.

"Are you going to go?" Xena asked, not turning.

Selena looked up, removing her hand from her face. When she'd heard about Theodorus's death, the news had deeply shaken her. She did not like him but at one point they _had_ been friends; spending time with each other regularly, talking and laughing over drinks in the tavern which had then led to the marriage proposal and in the end, the fall of their friendship.

She glanced over at Xena staring out the window. Past her she could see people busy building a funeral pyre not too far away. Rising from her seat, she went over to stand beside Xena.

"I don't know…" she admitted, feeling a lump rise in her throat. "You know…we didn't always hate each other. We used to be friends at one point."

"You were friends?" the new information surprised Xena.

"Yes. He only started to hate me when he found out that I couldn't be with him romantically like he wanted. When I turned him down, that's when we started fighting. But he took it too far. He first started acting hostile when I turned him down. I wanted to hurt him for hurting me and waited until he was with friends before I revealed the truth about myself. I guess the humiliation was too much for him to bear." She frowned. "He told me when we first met that he'd gotten everything he ever wanted in his life. To be told no must have bruised his pride and then to be told why?" Selena shook her head sadly. "It shouldn't have happened."

Xena pursed her lips. "What shouldn't have happened?"

"All the fighting. We should have remained civil to each other. But, after his reaction to me being a sapphist? It hurt me, Xena. _He_ hurt me. I was angry."

Xena frowned slightly. "What did you do?"

Selena stared at her friend for a long time, wondering what she must be thinking. She had an analysing look in her eyes; like she was trying to figure something out. Figure _her_ out? She felt her heart falter.

"What? You don't think….you don't think _I_ had anything to do with it his death, do you?" when Xena didn't immediately reply, Selena frowned and looked back out of the window, gritting her teeth. "Do you know how hard it is going from day to day, not knowing whether or not you're going to live long enough to see the next? See your friends again? I have to keep looking over my shoulder because of who I am. Because of whom I love. How is that fair? After Theodorus was humiliated, he went around telling everybody that I was a sapphist and made me out to be evil. Soon after that, people stopped talking to me because they were either scared of me or because they thought the fact that I love women is a disease!"

Xena stood silent as her friend poured out her heart. Her hurt, her anger, her fear…everything. She reached forward and pulled her friend into a consoling hug.

"I don't-" sadness made Selena's voice crack. She turned her head to look out of the window at the pyre and felt her eyes fill with tears. "Xena…he…"

As Selena cried into her shoulder, Xena stroked her hair soothingly. "I know." She said softly.

Selena managed to stop crying once she calmed a little. She couldn't remain sad for long when she was in Xena's arms. The small gesture served as a reminder of how it used to be between them for the short span of time in the past. She closed her eyes as she felt Xena's hand brush her hair.

Xena felt her friend calm and smiled sadly. "To answer your question, yes, I do know. Gabrielle and I have to fight for our lives every day. But, we don't focus on that. We make sure to spend every day together as if it were out last. Living in fear is no way to live at all."

"Gabrielle?" Selena said quietly. She pulled away from Xena for a moment to look out of the window again. Despite the fact that the girl had done nothing to hurt her, and had agreed to help, hearing the name fall lovingly gentle from Xena's lips cut her deeply. She rested her hands on the window sill. "She's a lovely girl."

Xena smiled, feeling her heart lift. "Yeah….she is."

Selena winced. She didn't have to look to know that she was smiling. The happy tone in her voice was enough. "Does she…know about you?"

The smile fell from Xena's face and she felt her heart turn to stone. "No, and she doesn't need to know."

Surprised, Selena turned. "She doesn't know? But…how long have you known each other? I thought that you and she…"

Xena's heart felt heavy. She set her jaw tight and frowned. "No." she repeated and turned away. "Gabrielle doesn't think of me that way. Nor should she. We are only friends. Sisters. I love her…but as a friend should love a friend. That is all."

Selena didn't need to be a seer to know that obviously wasn't true. She could hear the hurt in her voice. "Xena…"

Xena shook her head. "Honestly, Selena. It is what it is." She glanced up at the young women and couldn't stand to see the pity in her eyes. She cleared her throat and gestured outside. "Come on, let's go and talk to the healer. He should know by now what caused Theodorus's death."

As they began walking Xena didn't want to admit that the real reason she wanted them to go was because the conversation hurt her. Ignoring the ache she felt, she and Selena headed over to the healer's house.

~X~

Gabrielle sighed as she pulled herself to her feet. She was bored. Xena was still talking with Selena about Theodorus, and after she had left the tavern herself, Leandros had slinked off somewhere to be alone. At first she'd liked the silence. After everything that happened lately, all she wanted to do was sit down with her scroll and write to take her mind off it all. But after a while her mind had frozen and stilled her quill. She'd hit a mental wall.

Deciding that a walk would do her good, she set off walking around the town. Aside from the pyre being built near the temple, Gabrielle could see that many of the stalls had been set up properly and the vendors were discussing their wares with their fellow sellers.

As she passed them, Gabrielle spotted some things she was familiar with; scrolls and inkwells, saddlebags and wraps. But there were some she looked over that she felt enthralled by. Amongst one of the stalls was one with a small velveteen covered platform; colourful and expensive looking jewellery lay upon it, glinting as they caught the sunlight. Necklaces, some made up of colourful beads and others crafted from bronze shapes were among them. There was one that had the head of an eagle head on each end, separated by three lines of different beads.

She wanted to reach out and touch them out of curiosity. Before she could however, a faint sound caught her ear and she stopped, turning toward the direction it was coming from.

Towards the break in the town that she knew headed towards Juliette's caravan, she saw Juliette's tent. Wondering if the sound she had heard came from there, she set off toward it. She had to admit to herself as she approached the colourful tent that they were lovely people. Everyone from Juliette's caravan she had spoken to had been kind. Most even offered their wares and scrolls at a cheaper price.

She smiled as she passed them and waved, politely declining. Their cheerful demeanour was a welcome change to the chilly reception they had received from the townsfolk. Where they had been quiet and indifferent to them, Juliette's caravan had been lively and active. Their attitude rubbed off on her, making her feel as though she should be doing something all the time.

As she moved nearer, the sound she'd heard became clearer and she identified it as faint music. She followed the sound into the trees, passing by more and more tents on her way. A quick glance into them told her they were empty. So where was everybody? As the music began to grow louder, the sounds of laughing and singing soon joined too.

A movement in the trees stopped Gabrielle and she hid behind a tree, peering around the thick trunk to see. A small group of children were laughing and giggling as they raced toward the river. Toward the music.

Moving from behind her cover, Gabrielle followed behind them, letting her curiosity drive her forward. As she got closer and closer, the children disappeared behind a wooden cart already filled with people. They were singing and clapping in time with the music being played on a lute.

Surprised by the sound of music and the gathering joining in, Gabrielle stayed where she was. The musical notes floated in the air, wrapping around Gabrielle, enticing her; persuading her to come closer and join in. The rhythm of the song being strummed plucked at her soul, moving her body and causing it to sway where she stood hidden in the trees. Unknown whether or not she would be welcomed while they were dancing, she stayed where she stood a safe distance away, listening.

That was until a figure danced out from the cover of the cart and into her sight. She stood straight when she realized who it was. Leandros, lute in hand, moved around a small fire with a gaggle of children skipping after him.

Gabrielle stared at him. She'd never heard him sing before; never heard his already deep voice turn velvet as he sang. He looked so…happy. He held the lute close as though it was an old friend as he deftly plucked at the strings, creating a wonderful, cheery melody that her heart reacted to. All of a sudden she wanted to dance along with the children. Dance with him.

The change in Leandros was amazing. Where before he'd been closed off and only smiled when asked something or when Juliette was about, his smile now looked raw and genuine. The sincerity of it softened his features. The frown lines that normally creased his forehead were none existent and the broad smile pasted on his young face accentuated the laugh lines around his mouth. His blue eyes sparkled in the firelight as he passed around it, dancing between the children as they rushed to him with their arms held wide.

As she watched, her heart swelled at the warmth the man displayed as he threw his lute to another who continued playing so Leandros could pick up the children nearest to him. With a playful roar, he tucked one under each of his strong arms and ran carefully around with them. They gripped him tighter, their laughter filling the air as they bounced from the movement.

Gabrielle's smile stretched so far she thought it might reach her ears. Resting her head on the tree, she continued to watch them play.

"He's a natural with children."

Gabrielle gasped. Her heart leapt into her throat as she turned around and saw Juliette smiling at her. "Juliette?" she said breathlessly. "You scared me."

"I apologize." She said sweetly. As she turned her eyes upon the man and children in the middle of their game, her smile grew.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to see." Juliette answered cryptically.

"See what?" Gabrielle asked.

With a shrug Juliette started forward. She stopped midstride and turned. "Are you not coming? The children like company. And I'm sure the rest of my caravan would like to meet you properly. They've certainly taken a shine to your friend."

Gabrielle grabbed her staff and shook her head gently, unsure. "Oh, I'm fine. I should probably get back." She said, hooking a thumb over her shoulder.

Juliette's smile fell a little at the corners. "A shame. The children adore your stories. Your words paint a lovely picture. It would have been a privilege to have a story from the bard herself." Juliette turned away again and started heading for the little gathering.

Gabrielle bit her lip. She liked telling her stories, but it had been a while since she'd last told one or even had an audience. She looked over at Leandros; he was spinning the children around slowly, their joined laughter rising in the music filled air. If her stories could make the children happy like that…

"Wait!" she said quickly. As Juliette looked back at her, her expression a question mark, Gabrielle nodded. "I'll do it."

With a triumphant grin, Juliette lifted her arm, gesturing for her to follow. She led Gabrielle to the clearing where Leandros, the children and her caravan were.

Leandros was so wrapped up in the fun he was having with Juliette's people that he did not notice the women approaching. It wasn't until he felt the children wriggle in his arms to escape that he looked up. As he loosened his hold on them, they jumped to the ground and ran with their arms open toward the beautiful pair walking into the little clearing.

"Ju-lette! Ju-lette!" said the youngest as she hopped up and down, tugging at Juliette's dress-sleeve.

The silver haired woman bent slightly and picked up the girl, poking the end of her nose with a delicate finger. "Have you been having fun, little one?"

The little girl nodded and pointed toward Leandros. "Lea has been playing bwuther's lute."

"Yes, we heard." Leandros saw Juliette smile widely and looked at Gabrielle who gave a shy smile of her own. The girl ran to her brother when she was lowered to the ground once again.

Leandros swallowed, embarrassed that they had heard him playing the instrument. He puffed out his chest, trying to look manlier. He didn't want to seem weak in front of them. "I'm sorry, I lost track of time. Did Xena want to see us?" Leandros directed his question at Gabrielle. But it wasn't her that answered.

"I'm right here," called Xena's voice from behind them. A second later she exited the trees on the edge of the clearing.

Juliette's grin grew wider. "Great. Gabrielle was just about to tell a story, Xena. Would you like to join us?"

Xena glanced over at Gabrielle and saw a rueful smile surface. After the day they'd had a story sounded like a welcome change to the miserable atmosphere that had befallen the town. As if the town wasn't glum enough, the death of one of their people had shaken them even more.

"Sure." Xena answered but approached Gabrielle. Keeping her voice low, she said, "Are you alright?"

Gabrielle nodded. "Yes. How did things go with Selena?"

"She's still in shock about Theodorus. Like the rest of the people, she thought he'd left." She frowned. "She'll be fine."

Gabrielle noticed her friend's hesitation. "But?"

Xena shook her head. "I don't know what it is. There is something wrong here. We talked with Dantorix earlier, but the healer said that it seemed that Theodorus died of natural causes at least a week ago. He had no remaining family or friends to check on him and find him sooner. I respect a healer's opinion, but after they left, I decided to look over the body for any signs that would suggest otherwise."

"And? Were there?" Gabrielle felt her heart pace. She grabbed Xena's forearm, keeping her voice low as they moved away from the others. "Do you think he was murdered?"

Xena shook her head. "I can't find anything. No traces of poison. No small wounds that might have been fatal. It's like he just dropped dead."

Gabrielle let go of her friends arm. "Well…in a way, isn't that good? I mean, if he wasn't murdered then there are no suspects, right?"

"But then that takes us back at square one. I was hoping to get a chance to talk to Theodorus to see if he could shed some light on the situation. Give me information about the bounty and his animosity with Selena. But now he's dead." Xena chewed her thumbnail. "My friend's life is in danger and I don't have any leads. It's as though whoever ordered it on her has dropped off the face of the earth."

Gabrielle reached up, taking her hand to force her to stop biting. She squeezed her fingers gently to try and ease some of her friend's worry. "We'll figure this out, Xena. We always do, don't we?" she smiled.

Xena couldn't help but smile back. Her unerring optimism was contagious. She squeezed her back. "Yeah. We do." She looked around them and saw Leandros and Juliette watching them expectantly. Xena tilted her head towards them. "C'mon, they're waiting for a story."

As they started walking back to Juliette's caravan, Gabrielle felt a smile form. "So…are you really going to stay for a story, or are you too busy?"

Xena looked down at the bard and saw the hopeful look in her sparkling green eyes. She rolled her own and smiled. "Okay, I'll stay for one story." she replied.

"Yay!" Gabrielle cooed, hugging her friends arm before jogging off to find a spot.

Xena touched her arm where Gabrielle had hugged her. She was still able to feel her touch as Gabrielle went off to find a spot to stand and tell her story. The gesture had been small, but she always treasured those little moments. She'd made Gabrielle happy. That was all that mattered to her. Whether or not her friend knew how she truly felt.

Sensing someone's gaze, Xena looked over at the small crowd that had moved to sit in rows to hear Gabrielle tell her story. Knowing chocolate brown eyes met hers over the extended space. Juliette's smile was tiny but Xena saw it. The woman had a sage look in her eyes that gave Xena the impression she knew something about her.

The conversation between her and Selena flashed in her mind. She tensed. Deciding to ignore it as if she hadn't seen anything, Xena went to join some of the other members of the caravan on a fallen log. Sat amongst the front row on the ground was Leandros; children swamped his legs, most of them wrestling to sit on his knee.

She wondered how he'd feel having children fuss over him, being in a warlord's army, but he took it in stride. He chuckled as he lifted a young girl and boy onto each of his knees and tried to hush the others. Xena shook her head, smiling. Her first impression still remained true. He seemed too gentle to be the warrior he claimed to be. Though any comment on his docile manner appeared to aggravate him, as though he was embarrassed by the very suggestion.

Gabrielle was normally alright when crowds gathered around to listen to her stories. But having Xena come and listen made her feel unexpectedly nervous. She found her heart beating irregularly. If Xena hadn't been here she would have dived straight into a retelling of one of her scrolls about Xena and their adventures. But it always seemed to make her friend feel uncomfortable. She didn't want that, despite how much she wanted to tell a story of her.

She stood still for a moment, using everyone finding their seats and getting comfortable as an excuse to decide what story she should tell. She glanced around and saw everyone looking at her expectantly. She felt her face redden when she looked over and saw Xena smiling, waiting patiently along with the rest.

Gabrielle took a deep breath and she looked around for a second. When her eyes fell upon the lute Leandros had been playing, inspiration struck. She raised her hands before her.

"I tell the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice, a tragic yet eternal love that transcends time itself with their legend. Orpheus was a skilled musician and possessed a harmonious voice that gathered audiences from near and far. It was during one of his performances that his eyes fell upon a young girl. A girl named Eurydice." Gabrielle smiled at each of her spectators as she made eye contact. She noticed the children were watching; their eyes wide and expectant. Even Leandros looked interested. "As their eyes fell on each other they were immediately fell victim to love's spell; Orpheus for Eurydice's undeniable beauty, and Eurydice for Orpheus's sweet voice and beautiful, entrancing music."

Leandros sat forward, attempting to get closer to her without knocking the children around him. His ears took in every word, his eyes every movement and smile that appeared on her face as she told the story. He had heard rumours about Gabrielle the Bard and her stories but had thought nothing of it at the time. Little had he known just how extraordinary she was to behold in her element. She told the story with such passion that he felt himself pulled in by her words. The children had gone still on his knees and around him, not daring to make a sound as they listened to Gabrielle.

He dared not move either as he listened. He didn't want to blink or breathe as she recounted the tale of the tragic lovers' tale in case he missed anything. Leandros felt his heart quicken as her emerald green eyes swept over him.

"Hymenaios, the god of marriage recognized true love and blessed their union. But before they could go home to be with each other, a jealous shepherd set his eyes on Eurydice and devised a plan to steal her for his own." Gabrielle saw the children were listening closely. She couldn't help but smile as they reacted to the story, gasping when they heard of the shepherd's plot. "Planning to kill Orpheus and steal his bride away, the shepherd leapt out at them. But Orpheus was too fast and grabbed Eurydice, leading them through the trees to escape the jealous man." Gabrielle paced a few steps, using her hands to make gestures and make her story come alive. All the while, she looked out at her crowd. But out of all of them there was one she looked for, only one who's reaction meant the most to her.

Xena smiled as she listened to Gabrielle spin the tale. It was refreshing to hear a story from Gabrielle that wasn't based on Xena herself and their exploits. But either way she had to admit it; Gabrielle was a wonderful storyteller. She made the story come alive, fleshing it out for the audience to see what she saw. Her soft voice reached differing levels as she told the story, adapting it to the emotion in the story to capture her audience.

She watched her move her hands in gesticulating motions to emphasize her words and animate the story. Xena grinned, noticing that the children were sitting on the edge of their seats as Gabrielle spoke of a chase scene ending in a fatal snake bite to Eurydice.

"Saddened by the loss of his lover, Orpheus fell into despair. Without his soul mate he grieved every day, and found himself unable to live his life without her. In his despair he hatched a plan to visit the underworld and ask for her back. Legend says that when Orpheus played his lyre to Hades and Persephone to plead for his lover back, they were deeply moved and granted him entrance." Gabrielle closed her eyes, seeing the scene in her head. She lowered her voice to an almost wistful tenor. "But Hades warned Orpheus that he must not look back to gaze upon Eurydice until they left the underworld and stepped into the light."

Xena found herself entranced by Gabrielle's voice. She had heard the story of Orpheus and Eurydice before countless times as a child. But hearing it from Gabrielle made her feel as though she was hearing it for the first time. It was as though she held her hand through the story. She could see everything clearly as she spoke of it. Sorrow flashed in her eyes as she reopened them to talk of how Orpheus looked at his lover before she had left the underworld, and how he lost her again. The way Gabrielle described his grief was emotional and heartfelt and Xena was sure she heard a couple near her sniffing. She couldn't deny the way her own heart ached.

She looked out the corner of her eye and saw Juliette looking at her. Juliette smiled that tiny smile of hers again before looking back over at Gabrielle once more to get lost within the story. Frowning slightly, Xena also looked back. She was surprised to find that Gabrielle was almost finished.

"Orpheus, grief stricken and heartbroken from losing his lover a second time, wandered the land. He was no longer a man, but a shell of his former self; empty and desolate without Eurydice. His songs no longer held a happy note. The only comfort he found was when he looked up at the sky from the rock where he lay. The day he died he felt no sadness." Gabrielle smiled then at the children who suddenly looked really sad themselves. Her voice became gentle and reassuring. "Orpheus greeted it, finally happy that he could be reunited with his soul mate in the underworld again, and be with her, forever."

As soon as she finished, many rose to their feet and approached her to shake her hand or pat her shoulder, thanking her for the wonderful story. The amount that came over surprised her. When she felt a gentle tugging at her hands, she looked down and noticed the children smiling up at her. Once there was enough space, Xena came over to her, grinning broadly.

Gabrielle smiled back. "Well? What did you think?"

Xena coughed before answering to get rid of the lump in her throat. "It was great. Your stories always are, Gabrielle." Xena replied.

"I'm glad you decided to stay for a story, Xena. It meant a lot to me."

Xena reached Gabrielle into a hug. "No problem."

When she let go of her friend, she noticed Leandros was close. He looked at them both nervously before finally resting his eyes on Gabrielle. His blue eyes twinkled wondrously.

"That was an amazing story, Gabrielle. You told it so well."

Gabrielle felt her heart lift at the complement. She hadn't expected him to say such a thing. "Thank you, Leandros. That's nice of you to say so."

Leandros didn't want to admit how his heart had swelled as she told the story. Her voice had taken on an enchanting tenor; pulling him deeper into the story and making him feel Orpheus's pain over losing his lover. He didn't want to confess how it felt to cast his eyes upon her beautiful face as she lost herself within the story. How the emotions would run across her features or how her eyes would sparkle when she mentioned the love between Orpheus and Eurydice.

Even now, after the story had finished, he found he could not pull his eyes away from her. From the smile that lifted her features and brightened her face. He thought it strange when his heart quickened as he looked into her emerald green eyes and saw them smiling back.

Suddenly nervous, he looked away. "Well…I meant it." He said quietly.

Recognising Leandros's awkwardness, Gabrielle reached over and touched his shoulder. She felt him tense under her touch, but he turned to look at her. Not knowing what she could say to cheer him up, she smiled sweetly before she and Xena turned to walk towards Juliette.

As they approached her, Juliette raised her hands and placed them on Gabrielle's shoulders. "That was wonderful, Gabrielle. It was an honour."

Gabrielle smiled widely. "Thank you. It's been a while since I told a story to a crowd of people."

"You wouldn't know it. You told it beautifully. You moved them" Juliette said, gesturing to be caravan of friends and family. She glanced quickly over at Xena. "You certainly swayed many a heart." She said before winking and walking away.

Gabrielle frowned, confused. "What do you think she meant by that?" she asked, glancing up at her friend.

Xena resisted the urge to frown and forced a smile. "I have no idea."

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><p><em>Endnote<em>: _Hey guys! Sorry this chapter was so long but I wanted to give you a bit of everything :D I want to thank you all for your continuing support and lovely reviews. They really make my day! :D Tell me what you think and stay tuned for the next chapter! :)_


	15. Pyre

**A/N:** _This chapter is dedicated to my friends from the UF Group for giving the support and motivation to get this chapter finished. Without them it wouldn't be up as soon as it is. Thanks guys! ^_^ Happy reading folks!_

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><p>Gabrielle could sense her friends discomfort all the way back to the tavern. Xena fidgeted constantly with her wrist bracers or looked everywhere but her as though she was trying to find an answer. She couldn't help but feel as though something was wrong. Still, no matter how much she tried to ask, Xena shook it off. She wondered if she was still concerned about Theodorus and what she had hoped to find but hadn't. She sympathized. She could understand how she would feel about the situation. Trying to protect an old friend without knowing when or where they were going to be attacked from and who by. It would drive her crazy. But she wouldn't stop looking for answers.<p>

She glanced up at Xena as she ran a hand through her raven black hair, creating ripples that soaked up the remaining rays from the falling sun. She felt a tiny smile tug at the corner of her mouth. No, she would never stop looking for a way to save Xena if she was in danger.

She refrained from sighing when she noticed Xena was biting her lip again. It seemed that was all she was doing lately. Gabrielle racked her brains, trying to think of anything that would help them. But every time she did, it felt like she kept hitting a mental wall. She frowned, thinking back to when they were in Theodorus's house.

She could remember seeing the apple and knife on the kitchen table and the dead rat. She cringed, disgusted as the lingering smell of death returned in her memories. Apart from the dead rat, nothing had seemed suspicious. There had been nothing she had seen that would suggest anyone had been in his house when he'd died. Or at least she thought there was nothing.

"Xena?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena frowned, worrying her lip. She was sure Juliette knew something. Or maybe she was just guessing or speculating. Either way she'd almost said too much in front of Gabrielle. That would have been awkward and would have taken ages to explain away. What was she thinking? She had seen the way Juliette had kept staring at her, looking and smiling as though she knew exactly what she was thinking all the way through the story. Xena frowned. Was she a psychic or something else that allowed her to see into others?

She fiddled with her bracer. It seemed there was more to this Juliette than what meets the eyes. She would have to have a talk with her soon. A nudge to her side shook her out of her reverie. "Hmm?"

"Are you alright Xena? You've been quiet since we left Juliette and her people."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." She glanced down at Gabrielle and saw her friend wearing an unconvinced expression. In an attempt to cheer her up she nudged her back, smiling. "What about you? What was it like telling a story again? It's been a while since you last told one in a tavern or in front of a crowd hasn't it?"

"Yeah, it has." Gabrielle felt a smile form. "But it felt good. It was like slipping into a pair of old boots. Once I lost my self in the story I felt myself relax and enjoyed myself."

Xena lifted an eyebrow at her. "You certainly looked like you were enjoying yourself. You had everybody on their seats. Even Leandros looked pretty interested." She said, and then frowned to herself. Yes, he had looked _very_ interested. Though she wasn't completely sure if that was because of the story or because he was staring at Gabrielle.

Gabrielle pursed her lips, trying not to blush. At the mention of Leandros, the heart-warming image of him playing with the children and laughing heartily flashed before her. She never would have thought someone like him, a warrior in a warlord's army, would be so openly sensitive. Maybe there was a chance that they could steer him away from the dark path he was heading. Maybe there was a chance for something else for him other than a life of thievery and death.

She smiled. "Yeah, he did, didn't he?"

Xena heard the hopeful note in Gabrielle's voice. She looked back and saw him following a little distance behind them. He had a strange conflicted look on his face as he walked. As though whatever he was thinking about was causing him grief. Curious of what Xena was looking at, Gabrielle turned to look at him too.

_What are you_ doing? Leandros thought as he followed behind them. He scuffed his boot against the dirt and frowned at the ground.

He shouldn't be here playing happy with the caravan folk as though nothing was wrong. He had one day left before Ivan would come back and he still didn't have anything to tell him. No weaknesses of Xena and Gabrielle he could use to his advantage. He knew what the consequences of failure were and Ivan's brutality in carrying out punishment. But despite what Ivan would do to him if he failed his task, he wasn't sure he even wanted to carry it out. They hadn't done anything wrong to him personally. It was Darius that had the problem with them. But if his brother wanted him to do this then he couldn't betray his brother, could he? He was all he had left. In spite of what he had done, he was family and he didn't want to lose him.

But then, Xena knew of the army. He frowned. Was all this a trick? Was she trying to soften him up to make him spill all his brother's secrets? He knew she was smart. The tales he'd heard over the years about her from his brother and other warlords had built an image up in his mind, making her a mastermind of deceit and manipulation. She could be doing the same to him. Deceiving him. She had said that she needed his help, but best chances were that it was a ruse to make him stay with them. But if that were true, she was a good actress, and so was Gabrielle.

_Gabrielle_

The name generated a warm shiver that tingled down his spine. Images of her swamped his mind until he was watching her retell her story to them back at the caravan again. She had been wonderful. The way she had spoken with such passion and moved animatedly as she spun the tale of the two doomed lovers had made his heart race. He'd never felt the way he had when he watched her. He didn't expect her to affect him the way she had, but she was like magic to him. She was too pure and kind to be deceitful. He didn't think she knew of any trick on him. Unless she was a brilliant and skilful liar, there was no way she could know of any ruse.

He smiled inwardly when she'd touched him after the story. It had been a simple touch, but it had made his skin warm under his tunic as though he was not wearing one. He knew it had only been a kind gesture, but the sweet smile that had followed it had made his heart swell and made him want to take her in his arms.

He relived the touch over and over in his head, unaware of the obstruction in his path. When he walked into what felt like a wall, he stumbled back in surprise and looked up. "What the…?"

Xena stood in the middle of the dirt path, her hands on her hips. She arched an eyebrow at him. "Something bothering you? Something you would like to share?"

Leandros swallowed. His eyes flicked from Xena's to Gabrielle's curious ones and back again. He shook his head. "No."

Xena looked at him for a long moment. "How did you end up with Juliette's people?"

He shrugged then gestured to her. "You were with your friend and Gabrielle wanted to be alone. So I went to have a look around the stalls for a while until I you needed us. I admit I was bored and had a look around the town and ended up with the caravan." He blushed suddenly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I also went to see if Juliette needed any help seeing as I wasn't any use earlier. Was that so bad?"

Xena and Gabrielle glanced at each other for a moment. With a smile, Xena looked back at him. "No, I guess not. You seem fond of Juliette. What are your thoughts on her?"

Leandros felt his face flush and his eyes immediately flicked to Gabrielle. She wasn't looking at him thankfully. Though she did look as though something was bothering her. She gripped her staff tightly and seemed to be grinding her teeth. He swallowed.

"I think she's alright. She seems friendly. Her people certainly are. I got to know a couple of them while I was with them this afternoon. A few told stories, just like you Gabrielle."

The mention of stories peaked Gabrielle's interest. She turned to him. "Stories?"

Leandros smiled, brushing back the stray hairs that escaped his leather tie. "Yes, they were telling me about all these countries they've been to. Germania, Egypt-"

"_Egypt_?" Gabrielle glanced back at Xena and grinned broadly. "We should go back there again someday, Xena. I hardly got the chance to see the place because of Joxer's brother. I want to be able to see the sphinx and the pyramids properly, instead of missing it all to stop another assassination attempt."

Xena smiled, shaking her head with amusement. "One day." She promised.

~X~

Selena sighed as she washed the pots and tankards in the sink. It was the most tedious job she did in the tavern, but it kept her mind occupied. Trying to make sure they were clean enough for her occupants was enough to keep her mind focused. Regardless of how people viewed her in this damn town, _some_ people didn't care about her reputation and were kind enough to buy a room every now and then. She wanted to keep a high standard. Without those people she probably would have left already. But she was not about to let herself get run out by a bunch of narrow minded, god fearing idiots.

But despite how busy she kept herself, she found her thoughts drifting back to the conversation she'd had with Xena barely hours before. She felt embarrassed to have cried, but Xena hadn't shown any disgust to the display of tears. It had been nice to have somebody's arms to fall into for comfort for once instead of crying herself to sleep.

Unintentionally, images of Gabrielle in her place materialized in her mind and lingered like a bad taste in her mouth. She cursed under her breath and shook her head as though it would help rid her mind of the images. Xena had said that they weren't together, but Selena had heard the wistful tone in Xena's voice and the truth in her words. Maybe they weren't but she wished it.

Selena's eyes began to sting, but she refused to cry. She hadn't cried in weeks. The last time she had had been when Theodorus's threats had become too much to bear any longer and left her running to the temple for solace. She'd been so upset that she dashed for the place she knew she could find reassurance. No matter what others believed of her, she knew the gods would not.

Selena was not one for praying, but the genuine fear for her own life had left her with no choice but to try and call upon the gods for help. What had transpired in the temple that night…

Lifting a plate onto the side to drain, she glanced up to look out the window and felt the air leave her. The plate made a _thunk_ sound as it slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor with a clatter. Did she see what she thought she saw, or was her mind playing tricks on her?

She waited, staring out at the shimmering air where she'd seen the silhouette of a woman. But as seconds turned into minutes, she realized that the stress was probably seeping into her brain, causing her to see things that weren't there.

As she bent down to pick up the plate she felt a prickling sensation on the nape of her neck. Like a whisper, a cold sensation breezed over her skin, making the hairs stand up. She stood abruptly replacing the plate in the sink and turned, a hand clasped behind her neck.

There was no one there. Not a soul. Silas was too far away and the rest of her patrons were either drinking or outside finishing the pyre with the rest of the townsfolk. She put the back of her hand to her head. She felt fine. So what was wrong with her?

With a frustrated moan, Selena finished the rest of her chore and went to go stand outside. Maybe some air would do her good.

As soon as she was outside, she sat upon the small wooden bench that resided under the window and closed her eyes, smiling as the cool breeze caressed her warm face. She couldn't believe how hot it was lately. It seemed Apollo was working overtime to make sure there was plenty heat, even if the suns light was receding. The dress she wore felt as though they were sticking to her body. She plucked it from her, shaking them to create a cooling breeze.

Her hand stilled when she heard familiar voices.

She opened her eyes, searching, and eventually found them not too far away, leaving the edge of the trees. Her eyes immediately went to the tall, dark haired woman. She watched her closely, recognizing the look of frustration in her eyes as she looked upon her small blonde friend next to her. But she was oblivious. Instead, the small woman was looking over at the man walking with them; her eyes holding a faraway look that Selena knew all too well. Selena shook her head, feeling a tinge of pity settle in her stomach. She knew what it was like to love someone who didn't reciprocate or know of her feelings.

She waved to them when they looked toward the tavern and saw her. "Been exploring the woods?" she asked as they approached.

Leandros was first to speak. He stepped forward, a sloped smile on his face. "Gabrielle told us and Juliette's people a story. It was great." He seemed to catch himself as his voice bordered on giddiness.

Gabrielle blushed. "It was alright."

"It _was_ good and you know it." Xena said, squeezing her shoulder.

Gabrielle shrugged, reaching up to squeeze her fingers. "I guess so." She glanced over to Selena and saw her staring at them. "How are you? Are you alright? I mean, after the news about Theodorus I was a little worried?"

Selena tore her eyes from their joined hands and inhaled through her nose, attempting to siphon out the envy of their effortless closeness. She realized that Gabrielle must have misinterpreted her action because she apologized straight after. She smiled sweetly at the blonde, aiming to ease her and erase the troubled expression on her face.

"I am alright…considering. Thank you for asking, Gabrielle. It was a shock to hear about Theodorus's death. As much as we despised each other, there had once been love and respect between us. I can't help but feel sad by his passing. I will miss him."

She glanced up at the pyre and saw that it had finished being built. A group of townsfolk disappeared off toward Dantorix's house, leaving the rest to create a crowd around the pyre. She saw them talking amongst each other as they waited. Elders and children alike were stood, awaiting the spectacle that would be the funeral of the second richest man in town. Despite what they had been to each other in his last weeks of life, she felt she owed it to him to be civil enough to attend his funeral out of respect.

She looked over at Xena and smiled sadly. "I think I will go after all, Xena. I owe it to him as an old friend to go and pay my respects."

Xena nodded in approval. "I'm glad to hear that Selena." She said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

The funeral lasted for hours. After words from the townsfolk and a final visit from the priests from the temple, the day's natural light had almost faded, painting the sky in a bruised colour of purple and blue. When Dantorix had allowed Theodorus's body to be wrapped and carried from his house to the pyre, almost everybody stepped forward to offer their gifts in hope they would follow him to the underworld as they placed him upon the stacked wood.

As Xena cast her eyes around the gathering she recognized a mixed range of emotions from the people present. The children were crying; scared and upset of the idea of the body of someone they once knew would be set alight and he would never return. Many clung onto their carers; watching with careful eyes as the embers from the fire were lifted and carried on the wind.

Many of the townsfolk stood in silence as they watched the body burn. But what warmed Xena was that Juliette and her caravan watched the pyre, throwing their own offerings into the fire; flowers, coins and trinkets to pay their respects to the dead man, before dissolving into a respectful dance. Their children joined those of the town and consoled them as if they had seen funerals many times before, whilst Juliette's people danced slow and mournfully around the blaze; their colourful garments and jewellery catching the light from the flames.

The display took away Gabrielle's breath. Her heart warmed at the sight of the people showing their respect by dancing around the fire, singing a mournful song in a language she was not familiar with, while she, Xena, Selena and Leandros stood watching the pyre burn. Looking over at Selena, she recognized the sad and drawn look on her face, and wondered if there was anything she could say to ease her sadness. But she hardly knew Selena. Anything she would say wouldn't be much solace to her. Xena knew her better and would know what to say.

She looked up at her and saw a faraway expression on her friend's face; her dark eyes catching the flames, making them gleam in the orange light. She touched her arm to get her attention. When she looked down at her Gabrielle gestured inconspicuously over at Selena with a nod of her head. Their concern grew as they both looked at the woman for a moment as she stared into the fire, her expression blank and pale.

Concerned, Xena went over to her. "Selena? Are you alr-"

Selena raised her hand, stopping her. "Would you excuse me Xena? I need to be alone for a while." She looked at Xena for a moment, waiting.

Surprised, Xena nodded. "Of course. You need time to yourself, I understand."

Selena smiled, reaching out to touch her shoulder. "Thank you." With one last smile, Selena turned and started walking away from them, lifting her dress to keep it from dragging it across the ground as she moved toward the pyre.

She wanted to move past it quickly and tried not to look at the body burning. But it was as if her eyes were automatically drawn to it. Her stomach rolled as she cast her eyes upon the motionless figure, knowing that it was Theodorus's burning corpse within the flames. The sickly smell of his burning flesh mingled with the thick and heavy smell of smoke and filled her nostrils, scorching her senses and almost choked her. Standing close to the fire, the heat radiated from the pyre and warmed her face, though it did nothing to thaw the icy feeling she felt in her heart. She wished she'd had a chance to say goodbye to him properly, instead of regretting their last moments together.

She lifted her hands and laced her fingers together, resting her knuckles against her chin. It seemed ironic that she would send him a prayer when his last words to her had been to say hers.

Suddenly, her skin began to prickle at the back of her neck; tingling as though someone was stood behind her pressing pins lightly into her skin. Out the corner of her eye, she saw the air shimmer and a familiar silhouette.

Slowly and discreetly, Selena tilted her head to get a better look. She felt her heart jolt in recognition. It was the same one she'd seen earlier in her tavern and when she'd been standing next to Xena just moments ago when she'd stared blankly into the pyre. She knew she wasn't imagining it. She squinted as she focused her eyes on the figure. She recognized it as a woman standing within the trees; her feminine form obvious by the flickering light from the pyre, but due to the lack of natural light her identity remained a mystery. But the feeling she got from the woman was familiar. As though she'd met her before, but where from she didn't know.

Suddenly, the figure slowly raised her arm and flicked her fingers to Selena, silently beckoning her over.

Selena swallowed and stood upright, stepping back from the pyre. With a quick glance, she looked over at Xena and Gabrielle and saw that they were busy talking to each other. Realizing they wouldn't notice her if she slipped away, Selena made sure to move fast, taking one last glance around before slinking toward the trees.

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><p>Thank you for reading. Your reviews and comments are well appreciated and really make my day as an aspiring writer! :D<p> 


	16. Unbreakable Friendship

**A/N:** _Hey everybody. So sorry for updating late, but real life got in the way. But I'm back now :) In this chapter I wanted to give Xena and Gabby a bit of time together and delve a little deeper into Selena's story._

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><p>Xena didn't hear her until she knocked on the door. She'd been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that they had almost swallowed her whole. Without a pause in her pacing Xena called for her to come in.<p>

"Pacing again?" Gabrielle sighed, shutting the door behind her.

"It's the only thing that helps me think," Xena replied. She looked over at the young woman and saw her mouth twisted into a sad smile.

"I understand that, Xena." Gabrielle approached and sat on the foot of the bed. "Why don't you talk to me about it? I feel as though you've been a little distant with me today."

Xena stopped and looked over at the bard. She had to admit that after today she hadn't been able to feel relaxed. The knowing looks she had received from Juliette during Gabrielle's story had made her feel uncomfortable. Did she know about her feelings? If she did, would she tell Gabrielle?

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be. I've just got a lot on my mind at the moment." She swallowed anxiously as she walked over to her window and looked out.

The pyre was still burning but there was hardly anything left. The flames were the only source of light and filled the circle, illuminating the people that still lingered to watch. Many of Juliette's followers and she herself had returned to their caravan in the woods, leaving the villagers to mourn in peace. They left not long after Selena had slipped away for a while to mourn in isolation. Xena had worried when she couldn't see her, but had been relieved to see her return to the funeral pyre unharmed and alive, albeit looked pale and shaken.

After approaching and conversing with her, Selena had told how she had gone somewhere private to think and didn't want her to worry. Xena had been sceptical at first, noting the distant look in her friend's eyes and the aggrieved expression darkening her features. But after much reassurance and a goodnight kiss to the cheek, Selena had dismissed herself for the night. Xena worried that the death of her old friend had affected Selena more than she let herself believe.

She could understand how it must feel. The swirling emotions tearing at her soul; her hate toward him for causing her so much grief in his last months of life, but the love of the close friendship they'd had before everything had turned sour. She thought of how much the situation might be confusing Selena and she wished that there was something she could do to help. But it didn't matter how much she tried, she couldn't think of anything, other than just being there for her. People coped with loss differently.

Xena sighed as she closed her eyes. Even as a young woman, Selena had shown great resistance, even denial after the slave traders had attacked her village and massacred her friends and half her people. She had tried to show a tough front, insisting that she was stronger than Xena thought. But almost every night during the brief time they had travelled afterwards, Xena awoke to hear Selena crying in her sleep.

Guilt gnawed at her when she remembered how she had just abandoned her, deeming her weak and too much of a burden for her at the time. But she wouldn't do that now. She wouldn't abandon her like she once had. She would get to the bottom of this and find out who was responsible for threatening her life and why. She owed her that much at least for what she did.

"What are you thinking, Xena?"

Xena's eyes flew open and she glanced to her side. Gabrielle stood next to her, a concerned expression twisting her delicate features. She worried her lip as she stared up at her, her emerald eyes shining with questions. But she didn't press her for answers.

Xena felt a rush of emotion. Despite everything they had been through together, they hadn't strayed and their friendship became stronger and stronger over time. There had been times when she had thought whether or not keeping Gabrielle with her as she travelled was a good idea. She didn't want to put her in the way of further danger, but Gabrielle had vehemently dismissed even the slightest suggestion of leaving her. The young woman had changed so much over the years they had travelled together; growing from the naïve, curious and talkative farm girl she had been when Xena had first met her, to the strong, beautiful and compassionate woman she had grown into. Even through the hard times, Gabrielle's unshakable faith never ceased to amaze her, leaving Xena often wondering how it was that she was so lucky that her friend remained by her side.

With a reassuring smile, Xena reached forward and wrapped her arm around the bard's shoulders, pulling her close. From the many things Gabrielle had taught her, one that seemed to keep coming back was never giving up on your friends. Gabrielle's wise words had frequently turned her around when she'd gotten lost, reminding Xena of who she was and what her mission was. It frequently left Xena questioning which one of them was the true hero.

"Luck,"

"What do you mean?"

Xena's mouth lifted at the corners. "I mean I'm just thinking about how lucky I am that someone like you would still be with someone like me." Before Gabrielle could say anything, Xena continued. She looked out of the window, casting her eyes on the dying flames of the pyre. "Being here, helping Selena has just reminded me of how lucky I am that I still have the ones I love close to me. Selena lost her friends back in her village, strayed from her family and now she's lost another friend."

Gabrielle looked up at her. "She still has you," she pointed out.

Xena lowered her eyes to look at her hands resting on the window sill. "Yes, but only until recently."

Gabrielle frowned. "What do you mean by that? I thought Selena said that you two have been friends for a long time?"

"I abandoned her."

The silence was almost too much to bear. Xena couldn't look up to see what expression her friend's face was wearing. She turned away, letting her arm slip from around her shoulders and slowly walked around the room.

Gabrielle felt her eyebrows lift into her hairline. "You…what?"

"I abandoned her, Gabrielle. I saved her and her family all those years ago, but, at the time I didn't see her as a friend. Only an opportunity. I used them just like I used every other sap that was sorry enough to walk into my path. I only saved them because of the guilt I felt for leaving Solan. When the attack was over and everyone started cheering me, I felt myself turning back into the angry and confused woman I was. Their praise…scared me, and I ran." Xena swallowed hard as the memories came back to her.

"I knew I was being followed. Almost an hour after I'd left their village I heard footsteps and decided to double back to see who it was. Eventually I found out that it was Selena. She was…like you in some ways. She wanted to go travelling and stay with me, but instead of letting her come along because I wanted the company, I let her follow so that I could use her. I took advantage of her." Xena turned to look briefly at her friend and felt her heart squeeze when she saw Gabrielle's expression. It wasn't anger like she'd expected. Only sadness.

Gabrielle approached and took her hand. She gave it a squeeze and looked up into her friend's eyes. She could see the guilt on Xena's face and she hated it. It felt like no matter where they went or what they did, something always came back to cause Xena grief and there wasn't anything she could do to help.

"Xena, you've changed. She knows that. Anybody with eyes could see that. She obviously doesn't hate you, or else she wouldn't ask for your help." she reasoned. She reached up to lift her chin so that Xena looked her in the eyes when she tried to look away. "She doesn't hate you, Xena."

As Gabrielle's words fought to drive past the guilty haze that clouded her mind, memories flew by in front of her eyes; the lies, the deceiving and the lecherous way she had been toward Selena had caused her nothing but trouble and left a guilty imprint on her heart. She had been surprised Selena wanted to talk to her at all after everything she had done.

"Xena?"

"I know," Xena felt a smile creep its way onto her face. "I need to protect her, Gabrielle. I owe her after everything…"

"I know."

They stood in silence for a while until Xena sighed and went to sit on the edge of her bed. She stared out of the open window as she unfastened her bracers and put them on the table. The flames from the pyre were slowly fading, but the shadows from their dance cast shadows into the room. After she placed her sword by her bed and kicked off her boots, she laid back in bed, crossing her arms behind her head. She was surprised when Gabrielle removed her own boots and came to lie next to her.

"Aren't you going to go to bed?" Xena asked as she watched Gabrielle fidgeted to get comfortable next to her.

"I will, but I want to make sure you're alright."

Xena rolled her eyes. "I'm a grown woman, Gabrielle."

"I know, but we all need to be comforted once in a while. No matter how old we are." Gabrielle reached toward her and threaded her arms around the warrior princess, sliding an arm across her stomach.

She yawned as she rested her cheek against the cold bronze of Xena's breastplate, fatigued by the day's events. Everything whirled around in her mind; meeting Juliette, finding the dead body of someone they had thought was a suspect, watching Leandros as he played a melodious tune on the lute as he played with the children and her confused feelings for the man, and then the funeral pyre. On top of the crazy zealot, the unfriendly townsfolk and the ghostly apparition that had scared her in the bath, it seemed that they hadn't had a dull day yet. But she felt a strange foreboding tremble shake her. She felt that it wasn't over yet.

The image of the pyre burned her vision as she closed her eyes, the tiredness fighting to make her sleep. "You know what I was thinking when they put Theodorus on the pyre? I couldn't help but feel saddened. To know that he and Selena had been such good friends before they had fallen into such a raging hatred for each other sounds just horrible. It kind of reminded me of us. A little. We fight and argue, and we've been through a lot together, but I don't ever want to lose you like that, Xena. We've been through so much."

Xena looped her arm around the bard and drew her close. "You won't ever lose me, Gabrielle. I promise."

"Don't promise Xena. You promised before and died on me, remember?" Gabrielle said softly.

Xena looked at her. "I came back," she said, remembering when she had died and had to possess Autolycus's body in order to save her own.

"Yes you did, but you scared the life out of me. I didn't know what to do. It felt like my life was over when you died. I felt so lost. Please don't leave me again…" Gabrielle's tired voice trailed off and they fell into another bout of silence that seemed to stretch on forever.

Xena felt her heart breaking. She already knew how much her death had caused Gabrielle anguish, but to hear it from her and the hurt and fear in her voice made her breath catch. She didn't ever want to cause that again.

As they laid there she heard Gabrielle's voice echoing in the back of her mind as the memory of her death came rushing_: "Xena? I know you can hear me, wherever you are. I know you always told me to be strong. I can't be, not now. You can't leave me. I know it's not your time. I can feel it in my heart. I feel this emptiness that I've never known before, and it scares me. Xena, above all just remember your destiny. Remember it and fight. Just, fight to come back. This world needs you. _I_ need you." _Gabrielle had believed in her and always had. It didn't matter how much she felt herself slipping back into her darkness, Gabrielle always seemed to pull her back into the light. Even in death.

She looked down at the woman and saw her eyes were closed. How long had they been laid there? Gabrielle's breathing had already become slow and steady and her hold around Xena had slackened. Xena smiled, giving the bard a tiny squeeze before releasing her so she could stand and rest the sheet over Gabrielle's sleeping form.

She stayed there for a moment as the bard moved in her restful sleep, her arm reaching out. With a little smile, Xena reached over and thread her fingers in hers. Regardless of what Gabrielle said, she promised she wouldn't leave her again knowing that to do so would be the end of both of them. Meeting and becoming friends with Gabrielle had been the best thing she'd ever done in her life and she refused to do anything that would ruin it.

Gently, she pulled her hand away and went back over to the window. The pyre had almost completely burned out and nobody was on the streets now. She sighed, feeling a sense of failure. Theodorus. He had hoped that he would have helped in her search to find out what was happening in this town but now it had all come full circle. She didn't feel any closer to finding the culprit and her friend was still in danger. The only thing that seemed to keep her going was the determination to payback her friend, and the complete and utter faith that her best friend had in her even as she lay dreaming away in her bed.

As she turned to look at her sleeping, Xena felt her heart beat faster. With everything that was going on, she didn't feel that she should disclose her feelings. It would only complicate things further and distract her. She sighed in frustration. She didn't even think Gabrielle felt the same way and she would not risk telling her if it changed their relationship. She knew Gabrielle would love her no matter what, but the truth would change everything.

No. She wouldn't do it. She couldn't. Xena turned and gripped the window sill, gripping it until her fingers bit into the wood and the pain distracted her, clearing her thoughts. As she felt the haze finally clearing, she heard a noise that made her ears prick up.

Across the town square, over the pyre and through the trees, she could hear Juliette and her people. Their voices shouldn't have been able to be heard from where she was, but with her keen sense of hearing, Xena could pick up talking and laughing as it carried in the air from the trees. Remembering the looks and the suggestive comments from Juliette earlier, Xena decided that maybe it was time to pay the newcomers a visit.

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><p><em>Reviews and contructive critisism is welcome and appreciated. Thank you for reading. Stay tuned fot the update :)<em>


	17. The Seer

_**A/N:** Hey guys! Sorry this took a while but I've been balancing packing and a new story :) In this chapter I wanted to kinda introduce Juliette a little more, delving into her back story a little so you get to know her a little better. Tell me what you think and what you're opinions of her are. I'm eager to know :D_

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><p>"<em>Gabrielle<em>?" Xena sang softly into her friend's ear. "It's time to wake up."

Gabrielle moaned in her sleep and turned over, taking the sheet with her to wrap herself tighter into her cocoon. She had done that all night. It had been a sleepy battle to stay warm in the middle of the night. Having separate rooms for the past few days had almost made Xena forget just how much of a cover hog her friend really was. Finally, after failed attempts at wrestling it out of her friend's grip without resorting to wake her, Xena had just given up, laying there in her slip for the rest of the night until sunlight poured in through the window, forcing her to move.

She sighed as she stood over her, looking down. She raised her eyebrow as Gabrielle muttered something intelligible under her breath before tucking her face further into the pillow.

"C'mon, Gabrielle. _Wake_. _Up_." Xena complained. She shook her but Gabrielle's unconscious form still remained rested as though Xena was doing nothing but rocking her further to sleep. "Why does it always feel like I'm trying to wake the dead when it comes to you?"

She walked along the bed, taking in her friend's peaceful expression. She almost didn't want to wake her.

_Almost_

Shaking her head she grabbed the ends of the sheet and gave an almighty tug, sending Gabrielle rolling across the bed. Teetering dangerously close to the edge, Gabrielle finally opened her eyes and yawned. "_Xena_? What time is it?"

Folding the sheet, Xena pointed outside. "Late morning. I suspect it's almost dinner."

Suddenly, Gabrielle shot up and looked outside, shielding her eyes from the blinding light. "Almost dinner? Why didn't you wake me?"

Unable to control her frustration, Xena launched the sheet she'd folded neatly directly at the back of Gabrielle's head.

Gabrielle froze and turned slowly. Her eyes rested on a tired but suspiciously innocent looking Xena standing at the other side of the bed. She was looking everywhere but at her, a finger at the corner of her mouth.

"Did you just-?" she started, bending down to pick up the sheet and started folding it into a ball. Xena just shook her head, shrugging her shoulders and pointed off into the distance at some random person outside who could not have possibly done it. "Don't lie to me, warrior princess."

Xena scoffed, looking offended that Gabrielle was accusing her. "Why would I throw that at you?"

Gabrielle made a face. "Apart from me you're the only one in here."

"Okay, maybe I did-"

The balled up sheet to her face cut off her words. As it dropped to the ground, Gabrielle saw the serious look on her friend's face and wondered if she had gone too far. She started backing away from the window as Xena moved around the bed.

"Xena? Xena, _come on_, you did it first. It was just revenge, that's all." Gabrielle explained, putting her hands up in a surrendering gesture.

Xena stopped then and reached across the bed to grab one of the pillows. "Revenge, huh?" she said a second before she raised the pillow above her head.

"_Wait_!" Gabrielle shouted, protecting her face with her hands. When Xena stopped her attack, Gabrielle grabbed the other pillow and nodded with a grin on her face. "Okay."

After five minutes of chasing each other around the room, jumping over the furniture and dealing hits here and there, Xena and Gabrielle were exhausted. After Gabrielle had swiped a heavy hit in Xena's gut, and she had hit back with one to Gabrielle's face, they decided to call it quits. Not only had them worn themselves out so early in the day, but the feathers drifting around the room served as a reminder that they had destroyed someone else's property in their pursuit of their random madness.

"I don't think Selena is going to be very happy that we murdered her pillows." Gabrielle said, spitting out a feather that had fallen from the air and rested on her mouth.

Xena shrugged, lifting herself from the bed. "They needed replacing. You drooled all over them in the middle of the night."

"No I did not!" Gabrielle protested, but she didn't look sure. As she wafted the feathers away with her hand she glanced over at Xena. "You don't think she'll be too mad, do you?"

"She'll get over it. I'm her friend, remember?"

"Yeah," Gabrielle agreed, lifting herself onto her elbows. "But y'know, sometimes I wonder if she doesn't want to be friends."

Xena frowned as she shrugged on her armour and attached her sword to her back. "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is…she's a sapphist, isn't she?"

Xena froze her bracer halfway on her arm. She swallowed, wondering where Gabrielle was going with this. She tried not to make it look obvious that her question had phased her and continued to slip her bracer on, shrugging. "Yeah, so?"

"I think she loves you. As a woman, I mean."

The silence that filled the room was almost tangible. Xena would have been able to cut it with her sword. She turned away to walk around the room, picking up the pillowcases from the floor. "What if she did? It wouldn't matter to me."

Gabrielle could hear the harsh tone in her friend's voice and wondered if she had said something wrong. She stood up from the bed, plucking feathers from her hair. "I'm sorry, Xena. I didn't mean to offend you. I was just speculating. I've seen the way she looks at you. It's obvious that she feels something for you."

Xena shrugged, throwing the pillowcases on the draws under the window. "That's not my problem, and I'm not interested."

"You aren't?"

"No. Selena is just Selena. I feel awful about what I did to her in the past, but I don't feel anything romantic towards the woman. I'm here to help her, not sleep with her." Xena said as she marched passed her.

What had happened? Just moments ago they had been enjoying the first carefree moment they'd had in days, and now it was turning into another talk about Selena and her past. She reached down to pick up her boots and started slipping them on, trying not to let her frustration seep into her tone. "Gabrielle? I'm going to go talk to Juliette to see if I can find out any more about her. There's something about her that I can't put my finger on."

"Okay, I'll go see if I can find Selena and keep her company. She looked depressed after last night. She might want someone to talk to."

Nodding, Xena stood. She rested her hand gently on Gabrielle's shoulder and attempted a smile. "Thank you, I know she'll appreciate that."

When Xena left, closing the door to Gabrielle and the numerous feathers still floating idly around the room, she wondered if she would ever have the strength to tell her who she really loved and what she really wanted.

~X~

Gabrielle's words kept floating around in the front of her mind all the time she walked down to Juliette's caravan. She knew that Selena revered her as a hero, even now after everything she had done to her in the past. Selena had just been an innocent, naïve teen, excited about the prospect of adventuring with Xena. But she hadn't known the depths of her dark side and just how far she would sink to get what she wanted.

She remembered the night she had left, completely abandoned Selena in the woods. They had argued before Selena had finally fallen to sleep. She would have killed her. She had considered it. Selena had only been another faceless follower that had the misfortune to fully trust Xena. Deciding to leave had saved Selena's life. She had been getting tired of the conqueror's lifestyle and she didn't trust anybody around her anyway. Though for some reason, Selena had trusted her completely. Saving her village had utterly blinded Selena to the fact that Xena was a warlord.

But having Selena with her hadn't scared her. It was what she had found herself turning into that had frightened her. More than once she had found herself caring for her, and thinking herself as weak, had often left her, storming off to kill something for their dinner instead of lashing out at Selena herself. She'd had enough of the impulse to kill her and care for her and left without waking her, leaving Selena to fend for herself. She didn't know how, after everything she had said and done, Selena could possibly love her. Xena sighed. She had been a coward.

As she passed through the trees and headed toward the tents, she wondered if the reason why she had agreed to Gabrielle coming with her was a way to make up for what she had done in the past. But to do it right this time.

She could hear the cheerful voices of Juliette's people as they talked amongst each other in their clearing in the woods. She thought that they may become silent or look at her curiously as the townsfolk had when they had first entered the town, but she was surprised when a handful came up to her, patting her shoulder and asking if she was alright or if she wanted to buy anything.

"No, thank you, I'm just looking for Juliette. Do you know where I can find her?"

A small girl with black hair had attached herself to Xena and tugged on her leather straps, pointing to a big tent at the other end of the clearing. After patting the child's head and waving the people off politely, Xena started towards the tent.

It was slightly bigger than the others placed around the circle clearing and seemed in the prime spot facing the town. In the middle of the clearing was a small burnt out campfire, the rocks positioned in a big circle with well-placed logs sitting around it to sit at. She guessed that when she'd heard them last night they had been sitting around the fire talking.

When she reached the tent, she lifted her hand to knock on the small wooden board hanging from a pole just near the door. But Juliette's voice sounded out before she could and invited her in.

"Good morning, Xena." Juliette's soft voice greeted. "I knew you would come to see me today."

Juliette was sat on a fur rug with her back to her, her long silver hair twisted into a thick braid that fell down her back. Her clothes consisted of the same material she had worn the first time she had introduced herself to her and Gabrielle, except this time, the material seemed thicker and was a lilac colour. She guessed that the clothes were her bed clothes to protect her against the cold nights.

"Good morning. You knew I would come?"

Juliette chuckled softly. "Yes, after what happened yesterday, I thought you might want to speak with me. And I am also new to you. I figured you may want to speak with me to see who I am," she turned her head to look over her shoulder. "Am I wrong?"

Xena smiled, surprised by the young woman's accuracy. "No."

For a second, Juliette didn't say anything. Instead she lifted herself from the floor and looked at Xena closely as though she was seeing something that was bothering her. The more she did, the more it annoyed Xena.

"Is there something on my face?"

With a smile, Juliette leaned forward and plucked a single feather from her hair. "Have you had a fight this morning with a duck, Xena?" she asked, rolling the feather between her fingers.

Xena stared at the feather as she patted her head to feel for more. "I thought I got them all out. And no, Gabrielle refused to wake up this morning and she paid for it when she blamed me."

Humour shined in Juliette's brown eyes. She turned and put the feather on a table. "I take it she is a deep sleeper? Funny, she never mentioned that in her scrolls."

"There's a lot she leaves out when it comes to her scrolls. Like the fact that more than once she's saved my life, but she insists on making _me_ the hero."

"And that bothers you, doesn't it, Xena?" Juliette asked, looking up at her. "I can't understand why. You have changed yet, I've noticed when people try to thank you, and you become distant and withdraw from them. Why?"

Xena frowned. "I don't deserve their thanks. I just want to make up for my past, in this life or the next."

Quietly, Juliette stepped toward her, reaching out with her delicate hands. Before Xena could move back, Juliette gently pressed her hands at either side of her face and closed her eyes. Too interested to react, Xena watched the woman. She seemed not to pose a threat so she allowed this. More than once the woman winced as though she was hearing or seeing something that hurt her. Then, just when Xena wondered if she should break the contact, Juliette suddenly smiled and her eyes slowly opened.

"You will, Xena. The guilt you feel pressing down on your soul will one day leave you if you continue to follow the path you walk with Gabrielle. You will atone and be free again."

"What are you, a mind reader or something?" Xena wondered as she stared at the beautiful young woman. Her face seemed to brighten as Xena tried guessing. "You can't tell me you don't own _some_ kind of power. I felt something yesterday during Gabrielle's story. It was you weren't it? You were reading me."

Juliette pulled her hands back and turned to walk around her tent. While she was waiting for an answer, Xena couldn't help but look around. Along the inside of the tent the walls were decorated with fur skins. Purple and red coloured silken banners were wrapped eloquently around the poles holding the tent up; the ends spilling out onto the floor and disappearing under the rugs covering the ground. Thrown strategically around the room were clusters of cushions; each of the colourful covers were as beautiful and bright as the last, and all stitched with some intricate design that resembled a labyrinth that continued on to the cushion adjacent to it.

In the centre of the tent sat a small fire, its coals smouldering away safely within the confines of the rock pile. Many pots and small cauldrons sat near it, ready to be used for when needed. Looking further into the tent, Xena could see hidden partially by another veil, a small pile of fur and cushions that she guessed were used as a bed instead of a cot.

She wondered if many of the items that filled her tent were ones Juliette and her people had picked up on their travels. There were things that looked familiar to her and reminded her of the places she had travelled to in her youth; a small delicately decorated pile of cups from Chin and a broad embossed footstool from Rome were among them.

"I won't deny you answers, Xena. I am an honest woman. Ask the right questions and I shall answer." Juliette smiled as she pulled her long platinum braid forward, over her shoulder, and ran her fingers over it.

Xena rubbed her chin in thought. "_Are_ you a mind reader?"

Juliette chuckled. "No, though I did not need to be one to know that you would guess that answer again."

"A shaman then? A mystic?"

With a smile Juliette approached and stood before her, still stroking the length of her braid. The whole time she stood there she smiled unerringly, her eyes shining with amusement. The thought that maybe the woman was making fun of her started to irk Xena and she gritted her teeth. Then, she stopped and continued to look at her realizing she wasn't making fun of her. She was just waiting patiently as she tried to figure things out in her mind.

"You can sense people's thoughts and see things about them. You claim not to be a mind reader, yet you read me. But you feel people…as if you can tap into them." She frowned in thought for a moment, looking around the tent. She saw nothing that would give her away. Everything looked normal. She felt her eyes narrow as she glanced back at the silver haired woman. "You're either a Seer or a psychic, and I can't see it being the latter."

Xena swallowed when Juliette smiled, reaching forward to stroke her cheek. Her skin felt soft and warm against her own; the touch was soothing, delicate and calming. "I knew you would get it, Xena. You are quite right. I _am_ a Seer. I have been since I was a child. But," the smile fell from Juliette's face, making her look suddenly years older. Her face took on a pained expression and her eyes held a haunted look. "It has not always been beneficial or something I have liked. My parents saw me as a demon and cast me out, but not before they marked me to tell the world of my _evil_ sight."

Juliette stepped back and turned away so she could reach over and pull down the material. Sliding the material down to reveal her naked left shoulder, Xena saw a faint but raised scar on Juliette's shoulder blade. It looked like the work of a branding iron. The scar was very clear and seemed like it had been there for years, being the size of her fist and was in the shape of a star with a crescent moon running through it.

Unconsciously, Xena reached forward and drifted her fingers over the scar, tracing it with her invisible touch. Something in her mind clicked. "I've seen this symbol before. It's on most of your banners and clothing."

Juliette watched Xena's fingers moving over the scar gently until she removed them. As she looked up, Xena noticed her big brown eyes become large and childlike. "On my travels as a young girl I found others like me. Our sight scared people because they were afraid of what was unknown to them. We were chased across plains as though we were not of this earth, as though we were what my parents had first declared me as – a demon. I didn't understand how someone who I loved could be so callous and unloving because of an idea. So, with my friends, we decided to change people's opinions of us. We went from town to town, using our sight to help prevent occurrences that may have proven fatal if left." Juliette smiled, lifting the material once more to cover her shoulder. As she turned, she once again lifted her braid over her shoulder and resumed caressing it.

"The mark became our unofficial symbol and pretty soon, people started asking about it as a way to contact us for our services. That is why we use it still. We even gathered a little following of people who were curious about our gift. Many are still with me today," she said, gesturing outside.

"Only with _you_? What happened to the other Seers you encountered?" Xena asked.

Juliette's hand stilled and she lowered her eyes sadly. "Augustus was killed two summers ago by a group of romans, and Shiwanna died giving birth almost six summers ago. The small girl that was hanging all over Leandros yesterday is Mica, her daughter. I promised to look after her before Shiwanna died. I still don't know whether her she will have the same gift of sight, or if she will be spared."

Xena stared at Juliette, noticing she had gone very still and her voice was so soft it was almost a whisper. "You sound almost as though you don't want Mica to be a Seer."

"I just want what is best for her. I do not want her to be burdened with the animosity and fear I was dealt with at her age. I want her to be free from all that and live a normal life."

"But she has you." Juliette lifted her eyes to look at Xena. "What _is_ normal? You are the best role model she could have to help her if she does have the same gift you do and her mother did. You can show her everything she needs and teach her how to use her gift. You can show her the love that your parents didn't bestow on you. That is the best life she could possibly have."

"Thank you, Xena." Reaching out, Juliette rested her hand over Xena's heart, her large brown eyes shining with happiness. With a voice almost as soft as a whisper, Juliette said, "You have a strong mind, but your heart is soft and pure. Your light is beautiful."

Feeling her defences coming down, Xena smiled back as the image of a certain small blonde drifted to the front of her mind. "Yeah, she is..."

* * *

><p><em>Thank you for reading! :D Your commentsreviews and views mean alot to me and help me to get to know you as the reader and what you want. All reviews and feedback is appreciated and welcomed. Stay tuned for Chapter 18!_


	18. Underestimating

Leandros cursed under his breath as he twirled the staff in his hands and caught himself for the second time in thirty seconds. He admitted that he wasn't as well trained in the art of staff fighting as he was in archery or hand to hand combat. Using a heavy weapon that required him to wave it around skilfully had always been one of his weaker skills, next to camouflage and guile.

While using a sword or a staff, he often found himself tripping or losing his footing, giving the enemy the advantage. He wanted to practice, but since Xena had taken away his sword and there were no bows and arrows around, he'd been forced to searching near the trees for a thick branch sturdy and straight enough that he could use as a staff.

He'd started with a few drills, spinning it slowly to get the feel of the weapon, before speeding up and trying to move it into attacks. But every single time he came away cringing or holding his head where the end of the staff had clipped him. The only thing he was thankful was that there didn't seem to be anybody around to watch his pathetic attempts at training.

He stood straight again, planting his hands firmly in the middle of the staff, spaced far enough away to allow fluid movement when practicing his attacks. He thrust the staff end forward at an invisible target, feeling the power tense his muscles. Spinning quickly, he pulled the staff back and forward again, this time aiming higher, as though he was pretending to hit an enemy's face. Pretty soon, as he continued on with his training, the target assumed a face, one he despised, making him focus wholly on trying to deal damage to the dark smirk he saw looking back at him.

Ivan

Just thinking of the name focused a heated rush of anger, making his attack mores straining and dangerous. He stared at the man's dark, cold eyes as he surged his staff forward, aiming to wipe the smirk off his face. But the staff passed through Ivan's image, leaving him to laugh at Leandros as he continued on with his attack, hoping to deal a hit that was always destined to miss him.

Seeing him reminded Leandros of just how little time he had left before Ivan would turn up, demanding answers he still had yet to collect. The image of Xena and Gabrielle flicked into his mind and he froze, his stomach twisting and coiling. He almost dropped his staff. Could he even do it? He had been putting it off on purpose because he didn't want to do it. But then again….they were supposed to be the enemy. _They_ had captured _him_. They were Darius's enemy. They were his too…right?

Smiles and laughter poured into his mind along with stories and unexpected feelings…

Suddenly, he dropped to a crouch, holding the staff next to him whilst he covered his eyes with his hand. What was wrong with him? Why did the thought of fighting back against the ones who had captured him and forced him to stay hurt him so much? Was it because he didn't mind the thought of staying? His life back with Darius and the rest of his army at the camp had not been enjoyable by any stretch of the imagination; often being struck by the others for their amusement, and ceaselessly tormented daily as though he was merely an insect rather than a human being. Life with Xena and Gabrielle seemed like a holiday in the Elysian Fields compared to what he had endured back at camp.

What was he going to do?

"Leandros? Are you alright?"

His ears pricked up at the familiar voice and immediately his heart started racing. Lifting his eyes, he saw a short, beautiful woman stood before him, concern distorting her features. He stood, brushing off the dirt from his knee. "Gabrielle? Err, yes, I'm fine. I was just resting."

Gabrielle smiled in relief and he felt his heart squeeze in response. "That's good. For a second there I thought you might have hurt yourself while you were practising."

He stared at her for a long moment when he realized what that meant. "You were…watching me?"

Gabrielle hunched her shoulders guiltily and nodded. "Sorry. I didn't want to disturb you while you were throwing that stick around."

He blushed, looking away. "Using the staff has never been one of my strengths."

"You were doing fine," she said with a reassuring smile. She reached up and patted his shoulder; a slight, gentle touch that stole his breath away. He gritted his teeth, trying to control his erratic heartbeat as Gabrielle stood back and looked around.

"Hey, have you seen Selena this morning? I can't seem to find her anywhere. I asked Silas, you know, that guy who served us breakfast yesterday, but he said she went for an early walk with the healer. I've been all over and I can't find them anywhere."

Leandros shook his head. "Sorry, I haven't seen her since she went to bed after the funeral last night. Why? Is there something wrong?"

Gabrielle bit her lip for a moment as she thought. She shook her head but the concern he saw in her eyes announced her lie. She was worried. He wanted to comfort her and make her feel better, but he didn't know what to say. He thought about touching her gently on the arm or pat her on the shoulder as she had done, but the very thought of it made him blush and tongue tied.

Gabrielle looked up; realizing Leandros was making a funny noise. His face was red and he looked as though he was having trouble swallowing something. "Leandros?"

"_Wouldyouliketosparwithme_?" he said in a rush.

Blinking in surprise, Gabrielle smiled. "What did you say?"

Leandros blinked too as if he didn't realize what he had said himself. But still he took a deep breath and repeated his question. He didn't want to look like an idiot after all. "Would you like to…spar…with me?" he cringed as if he expected her to blow up or something.

After a moment of silence, Gabrielle looked around and turned back to him, nodding. "Sure. Okay, I'll spar with you."

Leandros's eyes widened and he smiled, happy that she hadn't thought him an idiot. He nodded eagerly and stood back to begin stretching.

At first, as he watched her limbering up, he started to feel his confidence build up, along with the anticipation he felt at getting a chance to practice sparring with her. He had always wondered at the back of his mind what it would be life to try. The hits she had dealt him recently were hard enough to make him rethink his opinion of her as delicate. Her appearance was innocent, but her force left marks. The last time he looked in a mirror he noticed that the bruise she'd left around his eye had subsided enough to reveal a small cut above his left eye.

As well as testing her strength, he couldn't help but feel a tingle of excitement of the prospect of just getting to be close without her questioning him, though it still remained because they would be attempting to hit each other. He'd felt silly for asking her to join his training, but as he watched her athletic body stretching, her stomach muscles moving along with her as she extended her body to warm up, he felt glad he had.

Gabrielle paused, holding her hands above her head in mid-stretch when she noticed he was just standing there watching her. "Aren't you going to stretch, Leandros?"

"I think I've stretched enough," he chuckled, raising his staff and holding it in both hands.

Shrugging, Gabrielle continued. "Alright, but if you get cramp, don't come hobbling over to me." His only reply came in the form of a light laugh.

Once she was finished stretching, she took her staff in both hands and practiced a few drills. Leandros felt his mouth fall open as he watched her twirl the staff with such speed it was almost a blur. He didn't feel so hot about the idea anymore.

She smiled, taking in his shocked expression. "Do you want to go first? Or shall I?"

He recovered, curving his mouth into a smirk. "Ladies first. That is, assuming you are one, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle's lightning fast attack wiped the grin of his face and he quickly found himself regretting his jest. Her staff slammed into his, and he knew if he hadn't have lifted his staff in time, she would have hit him in the face. She smiled, noticing his sudden wariness of her.

"What's the matter, Leandros?"

Leandros felt her pushing down on him and fought to keep his staff steady. He smiled as he pushed back. "Nothing. Just enjoying the nice weather."

"It's cold."

"Really? I think it's just warming up." Leandros shot his hands forward, knocking her off balance as his weapon slammed against hers.

Gabrielle threw up her staff, holding it above her head as Leandros continued his merciless attack and slammed his own staff against hers. The force from the attack pushed her back a step, but she refused to give in. Instead, she held fast, straining against him as he pushed.

After what felt like five minutes of exchanging blows like this, they found themselves in a stalemate. She glanced up at him and noticed his face screwed up in concentration; sweat trickling from his brow despite the cold snap of the late morning.

Leandros noticed her staring at him, her eyes wide and wondering and his mouth curled up in a strained smile. "Had…enough yet?" he growled, his voice thick from the laborious effort he was putting in.

With a smile, Gabrielle released a breathless laugh. "Not even close," she panted.

She wasn't lying completely. Her arms were burning and shaking from their training. As their training wore on, their hits became more and more powerful as they attempted to win dominance over the other. But the fact that Gabrielle had remained on her feet against Leandros, despite his many attempts to trip her or push her down, had encouraged her and pushed her on, making her more adamant to stay up.

When Gabrielle hadn't been able to find Selena, she made her way back to the tavern. She had been curious when she'd heard grunts and noises come from behind the building and had gone to investigate. It had surprised her to find Leandros training with a makeshift staff.

At first she had watched out of interest; fascinated as she watched how he moved with the weapon. She had never seen him train before and she was curious to see him in action. His movements had been desperate and jagged, forceful and at the same time weak. It had been painfully obvious that he wasn't familiar with the weapon and his attacks were more of attempts. But what had fascinated her more was how full of hate his eyes had looked, as though he was seeing something he really despised and he was trying his best to kill it. The look broke her heart. It was the same look Xena sometimes got when she trained and her past came back to haunt her.

When she agreed to spar with him he'd seemed more than happy at the idea of getting the chance to train with her. She had suspected that, after witnessing her fall countless times as she'd fought Xena the first time they met Leandros, he was expecting to beat her just as easily. But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Xena was a seasoned fighter and had taught her almost everything she'd learned about fighting over the years, so Gabrielle had no chance against her. But Leandros was another matter.

She had to admit. He wasn't weak in any sense of the word. With every hit she'd doled out on him, every slap of the staff and every trip, he had endured it all and come back fighting, looking more enthusiastic than before. Even now, he was sweating; his strong arms shaking from the effort from trying to overpower her. But he wouldn't back down, and it excited her unbelievably.

She shoved him back, slamming her staff against his before stepping back into defence again when he rushed her. Their staffs made a crack sound from the force of the impact, but they stayed intact. He rammed his staff against hers again and again, pushing her back into another stalemate. She struggled to stay in her spot, but the gravel's noisy protest against her feet dragging against it betrayed her.

Leandros couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

It seemed that he had underestimated Gabrielle once again. He had expected after their first encounter that she would be an easy opponent to beat. He had seen her make her acquaintance with the ground many times during her training sessions with Xena. But Xena was a warrior, a warrior that had been around for a long time and had travelled to many lands, learning and practising the art of fighting. There was a good chance that she had taught her at least enough to keep Gabrielle alive against a large enemy. This meant he didn't stand a chance against her.

The strength she was displaying was incredible and deceived her small, delicate appearance. What she lacked in height and the years of experience Xena had on her, she made up for in litheness, endurance and sheer determination. Even the soldiers back at his brothers camp hadn't shown him this much of a challenge. At least with them he got in a few well-placed hits before they overpowered him. He had yet to break through her defences.

Seeking an opening to break out of the impasse, Leandros drew back his staff for a second and lunged forward, using his shoulder to barge into her. But she anticipated him and twisted her body to the side and laughed as he flew by her to fall to his knees upon the dirt.

"Had enough yet?" Gabrielle teased, repeating his words as she prodded at his backside lightly with the end of her staff.

Leandros turned to face her with a smile, leaning back on his elbows panting. "For now," he admitted, rubbing his backside a second before lying back against the ground, resting an arm over his eyes to shield them from the rapidly brightening sun.

Gabrielle watched with an amused smile as a clearly exhausted Leandros laid back and breathed deeply, making his broad chest rise and fall with the effort to catch his breath.

She kneeled by him quietly while he rested and observed him. He wasn't wearing his jacket today, only his brown trousers; the material tucked loosely into the black leather boots he wore, and his dark tunic, the long sleeves rolled up over his thick forearms. Looking down, she saw the necklace chain – the silver trinket peeking out from under the unlaced shirt opening at his neck.

"What is that?" she said aloud before she could stop herself. "I saw it the other night…when we spoke."

Leandros removed his arm from his eyes and was surprised to see Gabrielle kneeling so close to him. His heart was already racing from their training, but it seemed to thump louder now. He forced himself back up on his elbows again to look down at where she was looking. As he moved, his necklace fell out from under his shirt and he picked it up to hold it delicately between his fingers.

Gabrielle noticed his eyes become distant as he stared, as though he was seeing something else other than the shiny object before him. "It was my mother's. I bought it for her when I was younger from a trader. It had meant to be a birthday present but…" he bit his lip and said quietly, "She never received it."

Gabrielle frowned. "Why not?"

Leandros looked away, dropping the necklace. He felt its coldness against the heat of his chest, but it came nowhere close to the icy chill he felt in his heart. "She became ill. When I was a boy she contracted Pneumonia. It claimed her before she got the chance to wear it."

Gabrielle gasped, unconsciously reaching forward to comfort him in his loss. "I'm so sorry, Leandros."

She touched his shoulder, unaware of the way his heart skipped. He swallowed thickly. "There is a little consolation," he said, trying a smile to erase the concerned expression on her face. "Before she died she saw it and reached out to touch it. She whispered something in my ear seconds before she drew her final breath and left this world."

Gabrielle's voice was soft when she spoke. "What did she say?"

Leandros glanced up at her, feeling his heart pulse faster when their eyes locked. He felt as though he could get lost in those bright green eyes; so perfect they were in their size and colour. Leandros thought they reminded him very much of emerald gems, rare and priceless and a treasure to behold. Noticing her waiting expectantly, he cleared his throat and sat up properly so that their gaze was level.

"She said I was blessed. I didn't understand what she meant at first, but," he touched the trinket. "Ever since then…I feel as though I have been protected. It sounds strange but, I feel as though my mother is still out there somewhere…watching over me."

"It's not strange. I believe that the departed aren't truly gone. A part of them remains with us forever. It watches over us, guides and protects us. It's that love that keeps them alive within our hearts," Gabrielle said gently, touching his hand still clasped around the necklace. She hesitated for a moment. "What was she like?"

At her question, Leandros felt his face lift into a smile. "She was a wonderful woman; so loving and protective of her children. And she was so beautiful." He smiled as he stared off over Gabrielle's shoulder, seeing the way his mother had been before she had become bedridden. "She wouldn't let me or my brother do anything dangerous in fear that we would end up seriously injured." He chuckled to himself, remembering when he and Darius had snuck off to a nearby river and swung from a tree as hard as they could to see who would land furthest in and make the biggest splash.

"Of course, as children, we disobeyed her and ran out constantly in search of adventure. But, even when she discovered our antics, she got mad. However, she never truly scolded us; she didn't have the heart for it. She was too gentle a soul to place a hand on her children. But we never took advantage. My brother and I respected her so much. She was like an angel to us." He grinned at Gabrielle. "I got my eyes from her, but my brother got the rest." His smile suddenly fell then and his heart dropped. "I am afraid I inherited everything else from my father."

"Is that so bad?"

Leandros felt his eye twitch. He hated talking about his father. To him, he was the true reason his mother died. Suddenly, unbelievable fury boiled up inside of him and threatened to spill over. He fought to keep his tone light, not wanting to blow up and ruin the first real conversation they'd had which didn't end in fighting or awkwardness.

"Gabrielle? Would you mind if we continued sparring? It's just…I…" he trailed off, not wanting to speak any more of his father.

A cold breeze drifted over them both making them shake. The heat they had generated from their training was starting to wane and made them vulnerable to the chilly bite of the morning.

Still, as she knelt there, Gabrielle could have sworn she felt a different kind of heat take its place, warming her face and chest. Hearing Leandros open up and talk of his mother in such a loving and caring away made her feel a sense of vulnerability she hadn't felt since Perdicus. It made her heart pace. But the difference in him when he had mentioned his father was obviously a sensitive subject.

Not wanting to anger him or make him feel uncomfortable, she decided to not broach the issue and agreed to his request.

With a smile Gabrielle nodded and leaned on her staff as she pushed herself back to her feet. "Don't think I'll take it easy on you," she joked.

Leandros jumped to his feet, dusting himself off with a grin. "I wouldn't expect you to."

Their sparring session resumed and it didn't take long before it started gathering a small curious crowd of people from both the town and the caravan as they fully awoke from their slumber. As they stood near, they talked in tiny groups as they observed. Gabrielle could hear voices carry over to them and she saw them coming from Juliette's people. Gabrielle and Leandros smiled at each other in between hits. They hadn't expected this. The noise carried on until it suddenly lowered back into murmuring. Curious, they stopped.

Juliette's slim figure approached them, followed by a curious looking Xena. Upon their approach, Juliette smiled, pulling her long platinum braid forward, over her shoulder, and ran her fingers over it. "I see now you two were the cause of the noise. We were worried that a fight might have broken out or something."

Leandros bent forward, resting his hands on his knees as he fought to catch his breath. "I'm sorry, Juliette. We were just sparring. We hadn't expected to become a spectacle. Good morning Xena."

Xena grinned, nodding her head at him. She looked at Gabrielle and saw the bard looked out of breath, but not as worn out as Leandros looked. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride. "If I'd known you were looking for a sparring partner I would have offered."

Gabrielle waved her hand. "I know, Xena. And it's alright. I wasn't looking for a partner…Leandros was." She walked over to her and sighed tiredly, resting her chin on the warrior's shoulder. "I couldn't find Selena, Xena. Apparently she's gone for a walk with the healer."

Xena nodded. "She trusts Dantorix. I suspect she wanted to talk to him about the funeral with him instead of me. Good. He might be able to give her some advice to cope with the loss from a healer's point of view."

Looking up, Xena noticed Juliette frown, her eyes seeming to glaze over for a second. It was very quick and miniscule, but she caught it. As soon as the moment was over, Juliette went back to smiling as usual.

"Do you often spar?" Juliette asked, posing her question open to all of them.

Xena smiled, noting her behaviour and deciding to broach it later. "Sometimes, but I mainly train alone or with Gabrielle."

"Same here," Gabrielle added.

Leandros shrugged, leaning on the staff he still held in his hand. "I practice sometimes. Why do you ask?"

Juliette's smile was radiant. "I would like to exercise weapon practice sometime too, if that would be alright?"

Leandros laughed and caught himself when he saw Juliette's smile fall. "I'm sorry, Juliette. I didn't mean to laugh. I just…you don't seem like the type that uses weapons, that's all."

He swallowed as she approached him, her big, brown eyes locked on his. There was a look in them that made him wish he had bit his tongue and kept his silly words to himself. She didn't look angry, just slightly annoyed at his ignorance.

They all watched as Juliette bent slightly, lowering her hands to grab and lift the material up, exposing her long, beautiful leg to him. He felt his heart quicken at the sight of her beauty and almost missed the fact that she had something strapped around her thigh. She pulled out a small but lethal looking dagger from its leather holster, weighed it in her hand for a moment before taking the sharp blade in her delicate fingers and flinging it at the closest tree to them, capturing a rogue leaf as it wilted from a branch.

A grin stretched across her face as he stared open mouthed at the dagger still shaking from the impact when it slammed into the tree. Chuckling, Juliette walked over and with a yank, pulled the dagger from where it had imbedded itself into the bark. Lifting her dress again, she slid the weapon back into its sheath and dropped the material, concealing it once more.

As she returned to him, Juliette touched his chin gently with one finger and forced his mouth close with a smile. "Never underestimate anyone. Especially those who don't seem the type," she said softly and turned, grinning.

He found there was nothing he could say as they watched the dangerous beauty walk away.

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><p><em><strong>AN:**_ _Hey guys! Hope you liked this chapter. I wanted to give Leandros a little more depth and explore some characters thoughts of other. Not to mention I wanted to add a little action...no, not that kind unfortunately ;) This chapter was about underestimating (oneself and others)  
>As usual, any commentsfeedback/reviews you may have are deeply appreciated and welcome :D_


	19. Dreaming in Reality

Selena sighed, staring blankly into the trees as she sat there on the grassy knoll. She hardly felt the cool water as it drifted over her bare feet where she'd dipped them into the clear stream. The bird's song held no tune as they tweeted around her, and she tried to ignore them, but their constant chirping grated at her patience.

After the chilly start to the day, the sun had come out from its cloudy cover and hung high in the sky like a golden orb, unconcealed and merciless as it beat down upon the earth and its helpless inhabitants. The sun's rays scorched her as she sat there; her shoulders made bare by the floor length corset dress she wore. Though it was sleeveless and light, the heat soaked into the velvet material and acted like a stove, burning her skin beneath. The heat had warmed her face into a little sweat, making a few flyaway strands stick to her face. Not even the calm breeze that fanned her, brushing her fiery curls from her shoulders, could do anything to cool her down. She lifted the ruffles over her knees, dipping her feet deeper into the cool, crisp water provided by the stream.

Dantorix had left long ago, giving up in his pursuit to coax answers from her with his gentle questioning. But it didn't matter how tender he was, or how long he'd stayed there hoping to get an answer from her, she couldn't give him the responses he wanted. Her attentions were solely focused on trying to drive away the images her dream had imprinted on her mind.

Blood. So much blood.

She felt her lip quiver-felt her eyes tingled with the threat of oncoming tears. But she'd already cried herself out until her eyes stung and her face burned. Surely there was none left. How could there be?

The dreams always started out pleasant, mainly encompassing a loving image of her and Xena living back home with her family and friends. It wasn't romantic, just something her heart desired. They would share a meal and laughs, before turning in for the night to sleep.

Then, as it had happened before all those years ago, the men came and slaughtered everybody; hanging their still living bodies up in plain sight so she could watch the men as they gutted her friends before her eyes. She would try and stop them, but Xena would hold her back and go herself. In reality she _had_ stopped them, but in the realm of dream, they would destroy her body, tearing her limb from limb before turning their sights on Selena herself. They would reach out, laughing as they did with their bloodied hands to get her.

Normally, when she dreamt of her old memory, she would wake up before then. But this time was different. Instead of waking to reality and silently cry over the dream within the safe confines of her tavern room, something in her awakened. Still in her dream, Selena had taken a sword by force and fought back, thrashing and swinging the blade. She had become detached from her dream self and watched helplessly as dream-Selena became a monster; ripping her sword through the slave traders' bodies before reaching in with her hand and tearing out their innards in a glorious show of force and ferocity.

It had frightened her, but she reasoned with herself that the dream had been exactly that: a dream. A harmless, visage created in her mind during sleep. But the emotions it created were very much real. She had woken during the night after the funeral covered in a layer of sweat, her heart beating painfully quick and her teeth clenched. She'd clung onto the sheets as though they were her only anchor to remind her of where and who she was. The adrenaline pulsing through her body had made her want to get up out of bed and hurt someone. Never before had her dreams done that before. That wasn't her.

_Selena_

Hearing the cool voice, she twisted quickly where she sat, looking for the source. Her purple gaze flicked around, in between the trees and off towards the town. But she couldn't see anyone. The voice had sounded pretty close. Surely whoever it was couldn't have disappeared that quickly?

Shaking the cold water from her feet, Selena rose into a standing position and lowered her dress until it swept against the grass. She slipped her shoes back on, and turned, deciding to make her way back to the tavern. Perhaps being out in the sun too long had made her lightheaded and it was taking its toll on her?

She sniffed, wiping her already dry eyes. She'd wept enough already. The pyre had seen to that. Thinking about the man in the fire made her stomach roll and a quiet sob broke from her chest. Why did he have to die? He'd been her only friend in a town that already seen her as strange. She would have been able to forgive him for his rashness, if he had only backed down and admitted he was wrong about her. But he'd kept pushing and pushing…

The longer she walked, the sooner she felt herself gaze of into the distance again, everything before her turning into a blur of colour as she became unfocused, instead getting lost in her thoughts once more. She tried to remain detached from her memories, but once again, as they appeared colourful and clear in her mind as the day they'd happened, she lost herself to the mercy of their last encounter.

~X~

Theodorus turned; focusing his light brown eyes on her, his dark blonde stubble caught the sweat that dripped from his face. The day had been hot, marking the beginning of summer. The sun had celebrated by sending rays of sunlight upon the earth that seemed to scorch everything within sight. Selena had always liked the heat, but that day had left her feeling particularly cold.

The joined gaze of the suspecting townsfolk seemed to bore holes into her as they stared her down. Theodorus seemed to enjoy the fact that they'd made her feel uncomfortable and unsure, curling her arms around herself protectively as if she could keep herself safe within her own embrace.

As he stared at her, his normally light eyes were darkened with anger and hatred. He pointed his finger at her accusingly. "You are the reason why nothing grows anymore! Ever since you came here there has been nothing but hunger and famine!"

"That's not true! The soil isn't fertile enough, and the crops are not growing because the scorching sun leaves them no time to flourish. It hasn't rained in months!" Selena had protested.

Theodorus frowned at her. "Yes, since you arrived there has been no rain to fertilize our crops! It seems you and your body is not the only thing unnatural around here," he sneered distastefully.

Selena glared at him. "Because I _cannot_ love you, you assume _I_ am the reason why your blasted crops will not grow? How dare you blame me! Do not assume to think that because finally someone has told you no, that you can pass off the blame for something such as this on them. Use logic. You are a smart man, are you not, Theodorus? Use your head and you will see that this is not my fault!"

Even when she'd finished her rant, she'd known he would not like being spoken to like that. People had speculated about her since her arrival at the town, but Theodorus changed her status from tolerated to an unendurable idea in a matter of seconds in the innocent and fragile little town.

"You disgusting little sapphist. You bring your evil here and expect us to lie down and take it like a whore? You have contaminated this place with your filthy ways!"

"Do not anger me, Theodorus." Selena had warned, her tone adopting a dangerous edge. "We were friends, remember? You know me! You know I _wouldn't_!"

But Theodorus had not listened. Instead he'd ignored her warnings and pushed insistently, making her look worse in front of the crowd they had gathered.

Something in her had snapped after seeing how far the man had sunk to cause her pain and grief. She had hoped that there could have been a way to save their friendship. But after his cold and heartless accusations, regardless of what he really knew about her, she felt there was no way back. He knew she wasn't evil and that she wasn't the cause of the shortage, but he still seemed bent on making her life a misery for the sake of his ridiculous pride.

She knew that turning him down and confiding in him for why she'd had to do it had been the reason. Humiliated by the truth, he resorted to tearing her down; stripping her of the progress she'd made months before at trying to build a home for herself.

She lashed out, pushing him away from her in a fit of rage. They had fought, trading swipes and a few choice words before he'd finally turned to stomp away. That had been the last time she had seen him alive. Angry, ruffled…but alive.

Something prodded at her mind. Unlike before when she had seen this memory, she'd noticed something new. As she watched his retreating figure, she spotted a dark figure lingering in the trees near the arched entrance; a dark silhouette hovering close by as though they were a spectator, watching Theodorus in interest as he left.

She realized that she must have overlooked them, thinking them to be another nosy person hoping to get more information about what was going on. But something had struck her as odd even then. As she cast her eyes upon the figure, it had not seemed to belong to anyone she recognized from the town, and its shadow seemed to have smokiness to it as it loitered there.

She'd tried to focus on it, to see if she could identify who it was. But the figure had been too quick. It snapped its head in her direction, its eyes flashing and focusing on her. As its cold gaze entrapped her, freezing her on the spot and robbing her of breath, its mouth stretched into a malicious smile. Before she'd had time to blink, the form had raced over to her, coming to stand face to face with her.

She tried asking for help, but the fear and shock froze her, making her voice small. When she did make a noise, no one would hear her. After the ordeal with Theodorus they had left, all retreating back to their homes, shopping or daily routines. None of them paid her any more attention now than they did every other day of her life there.

When Selena had looked back at the figure's terrible smile, she noted that the figure still seemed to be cloaked in a type of darkness, shrouding it from the penetrating light of the sun. It seemed to give of an icy chill as it stared at her. The lack of visibility left her wondering whether the form was male or female, or if it was even human.

She had thought that it must be some type of demon come to murder her and rid her existence from the town. But it had surprised her with its gentleness. She'd flinched; holding her breath when it'd extended out with one of its cold fingers and stroked her cheek.

With another terribly beautiful smile, it reached up and took a strand of her hair, letting it slide through its long fingers.

_Selena_…

~X~

"Selena? Can you hear me?"

Selena shook her head, ridding herself of the hazy cloud that had covered her eyes. Looking around she saw that she'd arrived at Juliette's yurt. Many curious eyes watched her as she stood there, uncertain. She blushed realizing that Juliette had been shaking her awake out of her daydream.

She groaned, rubbing her suddenly tired eyes. "I apologize, Juliette. I didn't mean to intrude on you and your friends activities."

Juliette smiled sweetly, the radiance of her beauty emphasized by the way her smile lifted her young features. "Nonsense, please come in. I sense there is something you want to talk to me about, Selena."

Accepting the young woman's offer, Selena nodded awkwardly at the rest of the caravan and followed her into the yurt; pushing aside the door flap on the way in. It seemed cooler inside. Sheltered from the sun and cooled by the breeze drifting in from the unconcealed walls, Selena found she could breathe. She felt her hands were shaking and her dress had dragged in muddy leaves and branches from walking aimlessly through the woods.

"Oh, no! I'm so sorry, Juliette!" she moaned, lifting the hem of her dress as if it would help.

With a kettle pot in her hand, Juliette turned quickly to look over at her. Her worried expression suddenly softened back into a gentle smile when she saw what Selena was fussing over. She waved a dismissive hand. "Please, don't worry. A little earth on the rugs never hurt anyone. Would you like some tea?" she asked, holding the kettle up.

Selena shook her head, politely declining. She was parched but she didn't like to admit that the foreign teas Juliette brought back from her travels always left her throat feeling as dry as a bone, or tasted far too spicy for her liking. Instead she watched as Juliette poured herself a steaming pot of tea and sat down on the animal coat rug, tucking her feet beneath her. Opting for a more comfortable sitting arrangement, Selena took the wooden chair not too far away from the centre of the yurt.

Juliette smiled, pointing to the tankard resting on the table. "There's some water in there. I knew you would turn down the tea."

Surprised, Selena glanced over at the tankard and took it, peering inside. She shouldn't have been shocked, but Juliette's talents always seemed to catch her off guard. She lifted it graciously, nodding at the young woman. She took a sip and sighed delightfully as the cool water dripped down her throat, soothing the harsh dryness there.

"Thank you," Selena said quietly.

Juliette just smiled in return. As the silence stretched on and both women drank, Selena noticed the other woman looking at her curiously, tilting her head as though she was trying to think. The scrutinizing gaze made her feel uncomfortable and she squirmed where she sat.

"Is there a problem?"

Juliette pursed her lips for a second before answering. "You are dealing with a lot of stress. I have heard of the bounty on your head, Selena. Many of the townsfolk talk about it. But I have not heard word of it besides here."

Selena gritted her teeth. "Does it matter? The fact remains someone wants me dead."

Juliette's eyebrows pulled together, creating the smallest of crinkles between them. She looked down at the cup of tea she held between her hands. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it. I am just trying to figure out a way I can help you." She glanced up and focused on the air around Selena. Her eyes narrowed. "Your aura is giving off strange vibes."

Selena watched her, waiting. "Yes?"

They stared at each other for a moment, both asking silent questions-ones that would receive no answers. After a while, Juliette raised her cup to her lips and sipped. "You are having nightmares, aren't you Selena?"

It wasn't a question. Selena sighed deeply. "Yes, I am. They are becoming more frequent and robbing me of my sleep. Is there anything you would suggest to ease me into the realm of sleep? Something that will shield me from the horrible images I see?"

Looking around quickly, Juliette placed her tea down and went over to a small chest of draws barely wider than her own hips. She rifled through one of the draws and came back holding a handful of small green leaves.

"This is called Valerian. The root will help you sleep when you boil it and drink it as tea. Take some before bed and you should drift off into a dreamless sleep."

Selena took the leaves but looked up, realizing what Juliette had said. "Should?"

"It is not always guaranteed, but in most circumstances it has cured cases of insomnia." Juliette walked over to the door flap and gestured outside. "Many of my friends take it during our travels when the road stretches too long and our adventuring takes its toll."

Finally smiling for the first time today, Selena rose to her feet and approached Juliette. She pulled her into a hug, whispering a 'thank you' in the young woman's ear.

Before she could leave, Juliette reached out, placing her hand gently on the woman's shoulder. "Do you not want to stay? Perhaps we could catch up or talk about these dreams of yours?" she offered.

Selena shivered. She didn't like seeing the horrible images the first time. She didn't want to drag them back to the surface so that she could share them. With an apologetic smile, she shook her head. "No, sorry, Juliette. But the catch up sounds lovely. Maybe later. I need to talk to Xena. I feel she may be worried about me with everything that has happened."

Juliette nodded silently, watching as Selena left. As she did, pushing the flap aside to step out back into the sun, she felt a strange foreboding feeling tingle down her spine and prod at her skull. She felt the eyes but didn't turn to face them. They were only a dream…

A dream she feared was spilling into her reality.

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><p><em>Commentsreviews and feedback mean a lot to me, and are appreciated and welcome. If there is any issue with the chapter concerning spelling/grammar etc please don't hesitate to inform me in a PM :)_


	20. Intoxicating Promises

_**A/N**: Soo sorry it took so long to update this guys! Packing, college - usual stuff got in the way. Plus I've been updating my **Wild Heart** fic too. I never realized just how hard it is to find balance lol. Anyway, I wanted to give you a bit of everythign in this. More of Xena and Selena's past plus much more. Happy Reading!_

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><p>"Are you sure you're going to be alright, Selena?" Xena asked, looking up at her friend.<p>

Selena nodded but it didn't convince her.

Xena noticed the dark semicircles under her purple eyes as soon as she came out of the woods and returned to the tavern. Selena looked tired and haggard, and it worried her. She hadn't seen her smile since before they found Theodorus's lifeless body. She understood with everything going on that it would be getting to Selena. Nobody could stay strong forever. Not only was she disliked by Moris and the temple, had a bounty on her head and had to endure the shock of a dead friend, but she also seemed to have something else on her mind.

Xena noticed she would constantly glaze over during a conversation, or she would shut down, instead leaving to sit in her usual seat before the hearth, staring into the flames as though they held the answer to her silent questions. She seemed paler and her eyes were missing their usual gleam. It hadn't escaped her attention either that Selena was having trouble sleeping. She had heard her during the night, tossing and turning before finally shouting herself awake.

Xena had almost burst into the room, assuming she was in trouble. But when she'd reached the door and heard Selena's voice speaking out as though conversing with someone, her voice calm and lucid, she'd stopped to listen in. There had been no one in there with her, Xena was sure of it. No voice spoke back, no footsteps tapped against the floorboards. She hoped that maybe Selena was talking in her sleep, but her voice had been too clear and calm, pausing as if waiting for a reply from a non-existent visitor.

She wanted to talk to her, to get her to open up a little more and see what was going on in her mind. But Xena wasn't used to the 'Sensitive talks' as Gabrielle would put it. She didn't know how to go about it.

She sighed, signalling to Silas for a refill and he sent another tankard down the bar, leaving it to slide to her. She nodded her thanks, lifted it and drank.

Selena glanced up, watching her friend all but empty the tankard in one gulp. It never ceased to amaze how much Xena could drink before she would feel the effects. She would drink regularly during the short time she had travelled with her.

She smiled inwardly then, remembering one particular night things had changed between them during an evening of drinking. A first for her; a first of many things….

~X~

"Come on, just have a taste. What are you afraid of?" Xena slurred as she held out the wineskin. She shook it encouragingly. "Scared you might like it?"

Selena blushed at her teasing tone. She looked up at the young warlord and saw the smirk on her face. "What if you've poisoned it?"

Xena narrowed her eyes. "If I wanted you dead, you would be dead." She threw the wineskin into Selena's lap. "Try it."

Apprehension made her shiver. She grabbed it and raised it to her nose, inhaling the scent that oozed from the opening. The smell seemed to burn her nose hairs and she cringed, moving it away. "It smells horrible!"

"You're supposed to drink it, not smell it. It tastes better in your mouth."

Lifting the wineskin to her mouth Selena took a deep breath before closing her eyes and upending the wineskin, allowing the warm liquid to pour down her throat. She coughed and sputtered when her taste buds protested, forcing her to stop. She cringed, tightening her eyes and shuddered when the horrible taste set her dry throat ablaze. Hearing Xena's hearty laughter over her choking, she opened her eyes and looked up.

Xena reached over and snatched the wineskin away. "You aren't supposed to just throw it down the hatch either."

Still coughing, Selena sat forward and tried to catch her breath. "Why would you drink that? That was…_disgusting_!"

Shrugging, Xena tilted her head back and, despite what she'd told Selena, guzzled it down.

Selena couldn't understand it. Xena had been drinking for the best part of two hours now and all she had to show for it was a little slurred speech and slower movements. She didn't stagger or fall like her father had always done when he touched the stuff. She seemed extra alert. Every now and then she would sit still and look around them, her eyes darting from one place to another quickly. When she seemed satisfied that they were safe, she would continue drinking.

Selena licked her lips, watching the warlord as she gulped away at the wineskin. The fire glinted off her armour, and bathed her face in orange light. Gods she was beautiful.

She had admired her for saving her village, which was what had initially drawn her to her, made her follow her. But it wasn't what had made her stay. The woman seemed continually confused about herself and her path. She had even told Selena after she had saved her village that she was evil, that there was no good in her. But Selena hadn't believed that for one second. How could she when since leaving she had done no evil?

The woman was harsh, rough around the edges and impatient. She would snap every now and then or ignore Selena as though she wasn't there. But she knew she cared. At least some part of her did anyway. She could see it in her eyes whenever she looked at her. Instead of hatred or anger, she saw a kind of fear and hope mixed into one look that tugged at her heart. She couldn't decide what it was. It couldn't be fear that Selena would hurt her. She was nowhere near strong enough to deem herself a threat, nor had she ever picked up a sword. The fear she saw was a different kind. Fear that she would leave, abandon her like many of her men had? Or was it fear of something much deeper—a feeling of affection or allowing herself to care?

Selena's heart skipped.

And what of the hope she saw in the woman's gaze? Xena was very good at hiding her emotions. Her stoic mask was almost permanent, her best way of keeping people from seeing what she felt. Even her eyes betrayed nothing of her thoughts and feelings. Even Selena had a tremendous hard time trying to read her. But when alone with her, and Xena relaxed, Selena recognized small traitorous habits which would give her away, announcing her lies.

If she was uncomfortable, instead of saying so she would scratch her head or cheek and instead of looking away, she would stare at the culprit until they were in turn uncomfortable and looked away instead. She would purse her lips or bite the inside of her cheek if she was angry, and if they annoyed her enough to make her frown, they would be a new victim.

She glanced up and saw the warlord watching her, a strange look in her eyes and a sloped, drunken smile. It made Selena's heart race. She knew that look, and she knew how it usually ended.

"What is it?"

"Why did you follow me?"

Selena blinked. She wondered whether or not the buzzing she felt on her scalp was from the question or the wine. "What?"

Xena, still holding the wineskin, shuffled over, keeping her eyes locked on the younger woman. Once she was close enough, she reached out and brushed her hand through Selena's hair. Selena closed her eyes, feeling her skin burn as Xena's fingers grazed her ear.

"The night I left…why did you follow me?"

Selena swallowed when she felt Xena lean in; her hot breath pressed against her cheek. "Because I…I…wanted to know you,"

"You don't wanna know me," she said, her voice was strong but sadness laced her tone. "I'm trouble."

Selena opened her eyes. She was surprised by just how close she was. "Some trouble is good for the soul," Selena said quietly, lifting her hand to tangle her fingers in the warlord's messy hair.

Xena grabbed her wrist and pulled her away, moving to look directly in her eyes. Her blue eyes burned with anger and desire. "What if you have no soul?"

Selena frowned, attempting to pull her hand out of the warlord's grasp. "Everyone has a soul. And no matter what you think, even you do, Xena,"

Xena tightened her grip on her wrist and Selena had to bite her lip to keep from crying out in pain. "I don't believe you!"

"Then why listen? Why ask me these questions? If you think you have no soul then why would you care?"

Xena's glare was like ice, cutting and cold. "I would be careful with the way you speak to me if I were you," she warned, her voice reaching a dangerously low tenor that made Selena's heart tremble.

"I'm not afraid of you, Xena. You are good and you know it!"

Xena snarled, pushing Selena onto her back and throwing the wineskin away. Moving to straddle her, Xena lowered her face until it was inches away from Selena's; the rancid stench of ale and wine laced her breath, and Selena had to turn her face away to keep from gagging. But Xena forced her back, grabbing her face and made her to look in her eyes.

"Is this my goodness?" she asked, her voice rising angrily. "Just because I haven't killed you doesn't mean I won't! I could cut your throat in a heartbeat, don't forget that!"

Selena wanted to cry, but she knew Xena didn't mean any of this. She was drunk, afraid and overreacting. She pushed back, reaching out to cup her hands around the back of Xena's neck and pulled her down until her lips crushed against hers, silencing her violent outburst.

At first, Xena resister, attempting to pull back. But when Selena felt her relax and move her lips with hers, the kiss melted Selena all the way down to her boots and back. Her heart thrummed away painfully in her chest as Xena finally released her grip to instead move her hands to brush over Selena's belly. She fought to keep her heart steady, but when she reached up to hold the woman's face between her hands and force her closer, her heart almost stopped altogether.

Whenever Xena drank, they often ended up in this situation; both battling each other with kisses, their desire building until Xena would suddenly snap to her senses and pull away guiltily, leaving Selena confused and yearning for more. This time felt different.

She didn't know what had changed, but they passed the line of reason and let go without thinking about it. Before she realized it, Selena's clothes were stripped and replaced by the hot skin of the woman she loved and adored, not caring whether or not she felt the same way.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized that it wasn't real. Xena was drunk and they were both tired of fighting. But she didn't care. If this was as real as it was going to get, she would hold onto it with both hands and never let go…

~X~

Selena lowered her eyes to her tankard and looked inside, sighing as she swirled it, watching the little ripples she created. So much had changed since then. They were both different people. Xena was most definitely different.

Sneaking a glance up at the woman in question she saw her looking forward, her expression guarded. It almost made Selena smile when she saw the look in her eyes and realized she was worried about something. No matter how much Xena thought she could hide, something in her eyes gave her away to Selena, but only if she looked hard enough.

Xena was no longer the confused and angry warlord she had been when she had met her. She was calmer, more compassionate and open. She wasn't hard and cold, and was more trustful. She even smiled more, but mostly, Selena noticed, when she was around Gabrielle. Something about the young blonde woman made her face light up. Whenever she saw her, Xena would get a look in her eyes that spoke volumes about the way she felt. All her walls would come crashing down, and she would look as though the blonde held the whole world in her smile.

Selena frowned. Not once has Xena ever looked at her like that. Even after all the time they had spent together. Years had passed since then, but during the time they were apart, she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope at the thought of being that way again, however imperfect it was. For months Xena had been her life. Even after she had watched her grab all her belongings and rode away on her horse, leaving Selena where she was, she had still felt hopeful.

Now it all just seemed silly.

Their time had come to an end, which was obvious. But maybe it wasn't too late to try again? Gabrielle was oblivious to Xena's affections. Now instead of Selena tripping over herself to make her happy, Xena was playing the part of the lovesick fool. Her heart was more open to love than before. Perhaps there was a chance?

Xena glanced down at Selena and frowned. "You know I know when you're lying to me, Selena."

Selena froze, afraid that she knew what she was thinking. "What?"

"I'm here to protect you, Selena. Why don't you talk to me? I'm not just a bodyguard; I'm a friend, y'know. I could help?"

"I know, Xena." Selena looked back into her tankard for a long time before speaking. "I…I can't sleep. I see them, my friends I mean-the ones that were murdered. Lately my dreams have been frequently becoming more…violent. "

Xena turned on her chair. "What kind of dreams are they?"

Selena refused to close her eyes to the tiredness she felt. Whenever she did, the image of her disembowelling someone would float to the front of her mind. "I…I see myself hurting the men that attacked my village. I thought that maybe….maybe I'd gotten over it and I could move on. It seems I was wrong."

Xena reached out to pat her shoulder. "It sounds like you're feeling guilty and your mind is taking it out on you."

"But what do I have to feel guilty about? I didn't kill my friends."

"Maybe not, but maybe it's because you couldn't save them and you feel you could have. But you have no reason to beat yourself up over it." She paused. "Their deaths weren't your fault."

"I know," Selena stood and after a glance out the window, seeing it was starting to get dark, decided to have an early night and use the herbs to make her sleep. Hopefully tonight she would be able to rest peacefully.

Xena followed her as she started toward the stairs.

"Where are you going?"

Xena smiled warmly. "Taking my friend to bed,"

Selena's heart jumped. "Excuse me?"

"That is where you're going isn't it? I thought you were going to sleep?"

"Oh," Selena ignored the heat rising to her face. "Yeah, I'm tired so I thought I would go to sleep early."

"Juliette told me you spoke earlier." Xena looked at her for a long time, her face unreadable. "She gave you something to help you sleep, didn't she?"

Selena remained silent as they climbed the stairs and went over to her room. Once she was inside she kicked off her shoes and sat on her bed, looking over at the tankard still steaming away on the bedside table. She'd taken Juliette's advice and boiled some water, creating a Valerian root tea ready for when she needed it. It filled the room with its fresh and fruity aroma.

Xena rested her shoulder against the doorjamb, watching Selena with sad eyes. She hated knowing she was suffering in a way that she couldn't help. The realm of dream could be sweet escape or torture, and right now it was torturing Selena in the most terrible way, making her relive her regrets. She knew the deaths of her friends would always cast a darkness on her memories. There were memories that she herself couldn't escape: Lyceus's death, her first kill, disappointing Lao Ma and not being able to save her. All of them played havoc on her heart. Even in sleep.

She moved away, sat on the bed next to her friend and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. "Our loved ones never truly die y'know, as long as they remain in our hearts."

Selena sniffed, feeling the threat of tears. "I just miss them so much,"

"I'm going to help you, Selena. I'm going to find out who's causing you all this grief; I'm going to stop the nightmares…"

Selena smiled up at her, feeling Xena's promises warm her heart. "I know,"

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><p><em>Any commentsreviews/feedback is welcome and appreciated. If there are any issues regarding spelling, grammar or inconsistancies that I might have missed, please don't hesitate to inform me :D Stay tuned for the next chapter!_


	21. Beneath the Mask

_**A/N**: Hey guys! Sorry for the late update, but my muse abandoned me recently and I had to wait for her to come back with inspiration :D I'll try and update more often xD Happy Reading folks!_

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><p>Juliette's people laughed and smiled as they carried the wine and food from their stalls after closing them for the night, chattering to each other as they made their way back to the encampment in the woods.<p>

From where he stood, Leandros could see the faint glow of their fire burning safely from within the trees. He paced. He felt so useless. Everyone else seemed busy, while Leandros felt the itch to make use of himself; to lend his skills, no matter what for. At least back at camp he held position; he knew what his place was. In the town, he didn't know where he should be or what he was doing. Being idle wasn't something he was used to.

Absently, he reached up to rest his hand on the hilt of his sword, only to remember it missing when his hand fell through empty air. Xena still had it. A reminder of the trust he still had yet to gain. But Leandros couldn't help but wonder if he would ever get it. Though she was civil to him, he didn't believe that the woman trusted him around her, Gabrielle or the rest of the people. He wondered if she expected him to attack the townsfolk and cringed. He would never do that. He wasn't a cold blooded, merciless killer. He wasn't Ivan.

Ivan

He would come tonight. He knew as soon as he woke up that the day would mark the end of his life. He still hadn't found anything out; he hadn't noticed any weaknesses or secrets of Xena's that he could tell Ivan to spare him. He would have to come up with a plan. The stress of the whole situation was getting to him. He found himself becoming weary, everyday seemed to be becoming a chore and he spent most of his time looking over his shoulder watching for either Ivan or a suspicious Xena.

He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face.

"What troubles you?"

He spun quickly on his heel, expecting to see the face of the man who had promised to return, but came face to face with Juliette. She smiled as she slinked out from the tavern.

"You seem a little jumpy. Is something the matter?"

Leandros shook his head. "No," he replied, turning his face away to hide the lie in his eyes. "I just feel…out of sorts, that's all."

"Out of sorts? I sense there is more to it that weighs on your heart as well as your tone." Juliette moved to stand before him, the hem of her earth-coloured dress sweeping the ground. She stared at him for a moment, tilting her head curiously. "Have you spoken to Gabrielle of your feelings for her?"

Leandros froze, his insides turning to ice, but his heart racing. He looked up slowly, seeing the smile in the young woman's eyes. "My feelings?" he said, feigning ignorance.

"You can't fool me. There are things that stand plain and obvious, even without the need for powers or the gift of sight. Though my time here has not been long I have witnessed your eyes upon her many times, lingering."

Leandros shook his head, dismissing the claims with a wave of his hand. "You mistake what you see for admiration."

"Admiration?" she echoed.

"Yes, the woman is kind, but fierce with her fighting. A loyal friend and forgiving." Leandros moved, lifting his boot onto the pile of firewood stocked beside the tavern and rested his elbows atop his knee. He brushed his fingers through his beard as he looked out at the town and saw Xena and Gabrielle conversing near the edge of the woods. "I admire her, as I do Xena. Though I do not understand why they keep me, I am glad I am not dead."

"What do you mean by they _keep_ you?"

Leandros sighed, forgetting that besides Xena and Gabrielle, no one else knew of his truth. He turned to look over his shoulder.

Instead of answering, he replied with a question of his own. "When we first met, you told me I had a shadow eclipsing my heart. What did you mean by that?"

Juliette smiled slightly. "I felt something when I first met you, but what I saw was in your eyes. I looked at your face and it was as though I was reading from a scroll. You lay your emotions bare, easily readable, and easily detected. The fear and anger I saw did not seem to be from the people around you, but rather from people closer to your heart." She moved to him

He shivered when she brushed her hand over his shoulder. "Closer?"

"_Family_ perhaps?"

Leandros's mother and Darius's faces flashed before his eyes. He stood abruptly, frowning. "You don't know what you speak of."

"Yet it arouses such a reaction in you, like touching a bare nerve with the point of a dagger."

He scowled and turned away again, casting his eyes on Gabrielle across the square. "I'm a thief and a warrior. Even if I were to have feelings for the woman, she would not want someone like me. She deserves better," he said sadly.

"You're a thief? _That_ is why you doubt yourself?" Juliette touched his face, forcing him to gaze at her. "You only believe so because you do not know her feelings. Maybe she would return yours."

"I don't deserve her love, and I fear the darkness that presses upon my heart would refuse me to accept it even if it were so." He tugged his face out of her grasp and turned away, removing his eyes from the blonde that caused his heart to swell, flip and plummet all at once.

He paced again, brushing his hand over the top of his head. He grunted in annoyance when his fingers got stuck in his thick hair. "Blasted hair. I would see it all gone!"

"You needn't do that, Leandros. One of my people is experienced with cutting hair. Perhaps she could see you hair put to better use, replacing the errant tresses and tidying your appearance to make it more manageable?"

"You would do that?"

Juliette smiled, moving to him and placing her hand at the crook of his elbow. "My people favour you. They think you are kind and sociable. Even the children are quite taken with you and your music. Even I found myself enchanted."

"But I have nothing to give in return," Leandros said as they moved to walk with her people still carrying their stalls contents to their camp.

"If you want to return the favour, perhaps you could help me with a small task?"

He furrowed his brow curiously. "What task would you ask of me?"

~X~

"I hope she'll be alright," Gabrielle said, casting a worried look up at the tavern.

"Me too. There is nothing I can do to help her in her dreams. That is the only place I can't reach to save her." Xena pursed her lips.

"I feel for her. I know how much dreams can affect you. Meridian haunted my dreams for months after what happened in Britannia," Gabrielle said softly.

A coldness washed over Xena, making her shiver to the core. What happened in Britannia held scars that would forever remain on her own heart and in her dreams as well. She reached out protectively, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. Gabrielle had tortured herself after she'd killed the priestess. Many nights after the incident Xena would stir to hear her mumbling in her sleep or crying over what she had done, asking forgiveness. It had killed her, being so close by her side, but remaining so far away, unable to help.

"Our inner demons are sometimes our most dangerous foes. She dreams of death, the lives of her friends from her village." Xena sighed, noticing Juliette and Leandros moving toward the woods. Patting Gabrielle, she moved, starting toward them with her friend in tow.

"Good evening, Xena," Juliette said brightly, noticing their approach.

"Hey," she nodded towards the woods. "What's going on? I can hear music and your friends are taking quite a lot into the woods. You planning something?"

"We decided to delay our performance to respect the dead man's passing. Now that the night is free of death, we can return to our regular festivities and lift the melancholy that presses down on the town and replace it with hope."

Gabrielle listened carefully, trying not to let her eyes linger on Juliette's arm on his. She seemed to be holding him closely; her chest brushing against his arm as they moved. She glanced up at Juliette silently wondering whether the young woman might be attracted to him, and then mentally hit herself, looking away. She shouldn't care. Why should she? It didn't make sense the tinge of jealousy she felt and the blush in her cheeks when she looked up and met his deep blue eyes. As he stared at her, she detected a strange look in his eyes. One she could not read.

"Festivities? The show Selena mentioned?" Gabrielle asked distractedly.

Juliette nodded. "My people dance, sing and play music, then offer the wares we've collected on our travels. It's a little like a thank you for allowing us to stay and do so."

"Sounds fun," Xena said. She quirked an eyebrow, noticing the two standing close together. "Where are you going?"

Gabrielle stood straight, interested to know too.

Juliette smiled, tightening her arm around Leandros. "Leandros is going to help me with something, in return for a favour."

"What kind of favour?" Xena asked.

Gabrielle tightened her hand around her staff as Juliette reached up to brush her fingers through his hair. "Little more than a restoring the man beneath the mask," the Seer said.

Leandros smiled uncomfortably, looking away from all three women. "It's merely to get rid of the nest of hair atop my head. It's become too unruly for me to appreciate so Juliette offered to tidy it for me."

"In exchange for what?" Gabrielle asked.

Juliette smiled, tugging at Leandros's arm, her voice teasing and ambiguous. "I'll think of some way to make use of his skills." She winked.

Leandros gaped at the young woman. The blush heated his face but he remained silent as she pulled him along, continuing on their path to her camp before they'd been stopped by Xena and Gabrielle.

When they left, Xena turned to Gabrielle, a strange smile on her lips. "Well, that was unexpected but not surprising."

Gabrielle remained silent, watching until the two forms disappeared into the trees. "What do you think she meant? By the favour?" she glanced up at Xena.

Xena shrugged. "She might have him help out with the stalls. He seems bored, but as long as he isn't stealing, killing or trying to get back to Darius, he's welcome to helping others."

"Helping others, huh?" Gabrielle muttered. She turned away and started walking toward the tavern.

The sun was fading; the remaining light colouring the cloudless sky in streaks of fiery gold and red. The cool breeze lifted her hair, signalling the oncoming cold that would descend upon the town as usual. When she reached the tavern, Gabrielle sat down on the bench, resting her staff against the wall. Xena sat down beside her.

"Do you want to go? To the show I mean?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena looked to the trees. "I guess we could. It would give us the chance to get to know Juliette and her people a little better. It might also help, as Juliette said, to relieve some of the depression on the town. I've noticed that the people have been a little more sociable. Juliette's people seem familiar to them. Maybe it would help us to get to know them a little more too – they haven't exactly been accepting of us, have they?"

"I guess you're right." Gabrielle glanced up at the tavern to the window that she knew was to Selena's bedroom. "What about Selena? Are we going to ask her to come?"

Xena stood, rubbing the back of her head. "Selena needs all the rest she can get. I've already spoken to Silas and Dantorix and they'll watch over her tonight. The healer said he wanted to check on her anyway."

"Have we got any more suspects? I feel bad that we haven't found out who put the bounty on Selena's head yet."

The thought that there was a bounty of one of Xena's friends filled her with a protectiveness; she wanted to stay by Selena's side and help look after her, to protect her from harm as Xena would for one of her friends. But there was something that struck her as odd. Since arriving at the town there had been no attempts on Selena's life. She thought that there would have been at least one. One that Xena would stop and warn the attacker not to try again. During their travel to the town, not once had she heard even the littlest inkling of a bounty on the head of a woman from Dreyas. It was like…there wasn't one.

But that would mean that Selena had lied.

Gabrielle rubbed her forehead, feeling a slight throbbing that doubt and discomfort usually brought on. She looked up at Xena and saw the sad, almost withered look upon her friend's face. Trying to get to the bottom of this was stressing Xena more than she was letting on, even to Gabrielle and she knew it. But the woman was too stubborn to admit it.

The investigation into the whole situation was making them go in circles. Just when they thought they had a lead, a suspect, the rug would get pulled out from under them and they started back where they began. It annoyed and saddened Gabrielle knowing that they didn't have anything to work with.

Xena shook her head. "No new ones. The only other one that Selena mentioned was Moris and the rest of the zealots from the temple."

"Well, just throwing it out there but, what about Juliette?" Gabrielle said.

"_Juliette_?" Xena rubbed her chin, eyes narrowing as she looked toward the trees. "It was a little convenient that she and the rest of her people turned up, just as this was all going on."

"Maybe they've come to collect the bounty? There are more than enough of them."

"They could overpower anyone that tried to protect Selena-"

"-and kill her whilst they were distracted," Gabrielle finished.

Xena and Gabrielle shared a look, their features decidedly brighter now that they had a new theory. "Do you think Juliette could be capable of doing such a thing?" Gabrielle asked.

"Anyone is capable of anything given the right motive. There are many reasons why people kill; desperation, money, hate, love, jealousy," Xena said, marking them off with her fingers as she said them.

"But what would Juliette kill for?"

Xena thought back, remembering the story Juliette told her about her parents disowning her and attempting to end her life – the branding on her shoulder they had given her and her friends running for their lives because of their gift.

"Revenge," she whispered.

Gabrielle stood, grabbing her staff and moved to stand beside her friend, looking over at the woods. From where they were, they could see the figures of Juliette's people moving about the trees, getting ready for their show.

"What would Juliette have against Selena that would make her consider killing her for the bounty? They seem to be good friends."

"I don't know, but like I said, anyone is capable," Xena said ominously. "Maybe there's dark intentions behind that smile."

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><p><em>Thanks for reading. If you have any commentsreviews or feedback, they are appreciated and welcome. I like to hear back from my readers - it helps the story and helps me get to know you :3 If you have any issues regarding spelling or grammar, please don't hesitate to tell me so in a PM. Thank you =]_


	22. Changes

Leandros stifled the need to squirm in the stiff wooden chair as the woman sliced at him hair. He watched wistfully as the knotted clumps fell to the floor around his boots. Just how much was she going to chop off?

"Lift your head please," she said and he complied.

The woman pushed back his hair and ran her fingers through it, brushing it out of his face. She crouched before him, her eyes narrowed inquisitively as she examined her work – she grabbed strands of his hair and Leandros saw her eyes flick to either side of his face. Behind her, Juliette moved, smiling down at him. He'd been apprehensive at first when he'd stepped into the yurt and saw the woman Juliette had pointed out to him. She had been the same height as him and the deep lines in her forehead made her look angry. But he had been surprised by her delicacy. She worked deftly with her hands, and it was obvious to him that she knew what she was doing.

The woman continued with the styling tools, clipping away and making his hair shorter. His head already felt lighter; no longer burdened with a twisted nest of dirty, mangy hair. The woman had already gone over his beard too, stating with no other reason except, '_It just had to go_.' Now his face was clean and no longer itchy, his chin smoother than the flat side of an unkinked blade.

As the woman moved to stand behind him, brushing back his hair from his face with a fine-toothed comb, Juliette came to crouch before him, an appreciative expression on her face. "Who knew such a handsome face hid beneath a mask of hair and guilt?" she said.

The compliment made Leandros's stomach flutter. He glanced away from the young woman's brown eyes. "Thank you," he said.

Juliette smiled. "No problem." She looked over his clothes, tugging at the rough material with her fingers. "I think a change of clothes might be in order too."

Leandros watched, surprised as she rose and pushed aside the veil that hid the small nook from the rest of the room. He heard a shuffling sound and she reappeared with items of clothing draped over her arm. She rested them on the table and looked back at him. "There are some bracers on a table out there for you too. I don't know what size you are exactly, but you look roughly the size of Ibycus, our singing bard. Which brings me back to our agreement – do you think you can do it?"

Leandros smiled uneasily. "I'm afraid I'm not very good."

Juliette shook her head. "I beg to differ, I have heard you play. You are quite good. Your music would be a welcome addition to the show, Leandros. I know Xena and Gabrielle will appreciate your music."

He felt a blush creep onto his face at the thought of the two women hearing him play. "I suppose I could give it a try."

"That's good to hear." Juliette stepped back as the woman came around to stand next to her. They both stood with equally appraising looks.

Leandros swallowed as he became the object of their speculation. "Well?" he said nervously.

Juliette plucked a mirror from nearby and lifted it in front of his face. "Be the judge of yourself."

Leandros blinked in shock at the reflection looking back at him. The woman had done a good job; he hardly recognized the man in the mirror. His scraggly beard had been completely shaved, revealing a strong jaw. His long hair had been washed, cut and styled so that it was swept back as though he were facing a strong wind, but created fixed ripples in his chocolate brown hair. The ends barely brushed his shoulders as he moved his head from side to side to inspect the difference.

He looked years younger, much like he had been in his adolescent years. His strong prominent brows made his eyes stand out. Before, their colour had been dimmed by the brush of his beard, but now their blue shone out as if happy by the improved appearance. Or maybe it was him, and the joy he felt couldn't help but escape through his eyes.

He looked up, grinning at both of the women. "Thank you, both of you. I haven't seen my face in years." He looked back down and his eyes softened as he looked at them. The face of a familiar, beautiful young woman flashed in his mind. "I can see much of my departed mother in my face. I was wrong about what I said to Gabrielle…about looking like my father."

Out the corner of his eyes he saw Juliette nod at the other woman, dismissing her from the tent. Once she was gone, Juliette came to kneel behind him, looking over his shoulder to the reflection in the mirror. He caught her eyes and she smiled. "She must have been really beautiful then, to pass on her looks and hear heart to her son."

Leandros lowered the mirror and twisted in the chair to look at her. "She was. I miss her every day. But she would be so disappointed to see what I've become."

Juliette reached forward and touched his shoulder consolingly. "There is always time to change, Leandros. You are who you choose to be."

The woman's words made his stomach flutter strangely, and the feeling became more pronounced when she smiled gently at him. He smiled back. "Thank you, Juliette."

They stared at each other for a moment. He noticed Juliette's eyes suddenly glaze before she smiled once more and rose to her feet. She patted his shoulder; her touch lingering as she brushed passed him to push the veil aside. She paused at the edge of the opaque cloth and looked back at him. "Try the clothes, Leandros. Shake off the darkness which binds you in clothing," she said and left.

~X~

Xena noticed Juliette as she stepped out from one of the yurts and made her way over to where her people had set up a small wooden stage-like platform; logs and crates had been placed before it, positioned to look like rows of seats in a real playhouse.

"There she is. I'll go talk to her about this show, see what's going on, y'know?" Xena rubbed her chin as she looked at the stage. "Selena mentioned the show, but I wonder what they do," she said quietly.

Gabrielle leaned against her staff. "Dancing? Readings?"

Xena nudged her, grinning. "Are you going to tell another story?"

The blonde blushed. "I don't know about that. I got roped into it last time but, who knows? Maybe."

"As long as it's not about me, it'll be alright. You wanna tell stories of real heroes."

Gabrielle sighed. She pushed at Xena's arm, shooting her a reproachful look. "You _are_ a hero, Xena!"

"Uh-huh," she said in response. Seeing Juliette alone, Xena decided to move now. "I'll see you in a minute, okay?"

Gabrielle nodded and watched as her friend made her way over to Juliette. The observed their conversation, saw the indicating motions as Juliette smiled and pointed at the stage with a happy expression. She wondered as she watched her whether someone like Juliette would commit such a heinous crime like murder. She couldn't see it, but as Xena has reminded her, anybody was capable, given the right motive. Gabrielle had learned much from her in their time travelling together, and one of the things was that Xena was hardly ever wrong.

She walked forward slowly, her staff swishing against the grass as she moved. She considered going over and joining the women as she watched their conversation look less inquisitive and became more questioning about the stage. But a crashing sound from inside the yurt Juliette had exited from caught Gabrielle's attention and, after a few furtive glances around first, moved the flap aside and walked in.

Seeing nobody immediately, she moved quietly around the inside of the yurt tent, making sure not to touch anything as she looked. If this was Juliette's tent she thought that maybe she could find something that would help them in their quest to find out whether she held ill feelings toward Selena. Noticing some draws nearby, Gabrielle made to move toward them. That was until she saw a shadow move and froze on the spot.

Gabrielle brought her to a curtain and swallowed hard. Behind the gold veil-like material, she recognized Leandros's tall silhouette as he skulked behind its length; his shoulder brushed the material as he unfastened and pulled his dark tunic from his shoulders. He was hidden behind the cover and had his back to her, but the bright oil lamps burning away behind the veil cast a light upon him that made his tanned skin glow, almost making it look like polished gold. She tried to tear her eyes away, but she could see him through the curtain almost as clearly as if he were standing before her, making the task near impossible.

Her mouth felt dry as she watched him reach over to grab a shirt. Unconsciously, she licked her lips, moistening them as his muscles bunched and rippled; the light casting shadows in the ridges of his strong back when he pulled the shirt on over his head, sliding his arms through the sleeves.

She looked away, squeezing her eyes shut tight.

What was wrong with her? Why was her heart racing so quickly? She could almost hear it thrumming away in her chest when the images of Leandros's naked back flashed in her mind. She shook her head. Was it possible that she could be attracted to him? Gabrielle bit her lip. No, it couldn't be. He was a killer. One of Darius's men. Attraction would complicate things. She couldn't be interested in Leandros. He was stubborn, immature, and not to mention a thief.

She glanced over her shoulder and saw that he was shrugging something on and brushing his fingers through his hair. But when did he get so strong? When did he stop looking like the boy she and Xena had met that day in the clearing, and become a man?

Her heart skipped in her chest when she saw his hand appear and the edge of the cloth. She watched anxiously as he slowly drew one of the curtains apart, spilling the firelight across the floor.

Her mouth opened in surprise.

Instead of his normal dark tunic and trousers, he wore a loose fitting white shirt with lacing at the neck, and a sleeveless suede jerkin that stopped at his hips. His cotton trousers were a lighter brown colour and were cinched in at the waist by an embossed thick leather belt.

He smiled when he saw her; his mouth fashioning a broad, white smile. "Gabrielle? I wasn't expecting to see you in here. Is there something the matter?"

For a second Gabrielle lost the ability to speak. Not trusting herself to speak, she shook her head.

Leandros smiled in amusement at her awkward silence. "O…kay, if you say so." He glanced up and gestured near her. "Could you pass me those please?" he asked politely while he fastened his cuff strings.

Looking to where he was pointing, Gabrielle saw a couple of tiered leather braces lying on a table. She reached over and picked them up, rubbing her fingers over the stiff leather. They looked beautiful; the bracers were bevelled at the edges and embroidered with intricate carvings of a crescent moon and stars motif. She'd never seen any others like them before. They looked almost exotic in appearance.

She handed them over to him and watched, unable to look away from him as he unlaced the bracers and placed one over his sleeve. He attempted a couple of times to tie it himself but failed and sighed in frustration.

"Here, let me help you." Gabrielle offered, finally finding her voice. Standing her staff against the table carefully, she approached him and took them out his hands.

"Thank you," Leandros said with a smile in his voice. He pointed to them and rolled his eyes. "I always have trouble with these things."

"I'm not surprised. You had it on upside down." Gabrielle smiled too as she took the bracer from him and turned it around. Once she had placed it on his wrist properly she asked him to face his hand palm up so she could start lacing it. "Where did you get them from? I don't think I've seen this pattern before."

"From Juliette. She said that I needed to change the way I look and gave me these," he explained, pointing to his new outfit.

The mention of Juliette's name made an unpleasant knot coil in her stomach. "Oh," she muttered. She threaded the laces and tugged at them abruptly, making them tauter than necessary.

"Ouch," Leandros flinched and chuckled nervously. "That was a little tight," he said as he placed his thumb between the strings and his wrist to create space.

"Sorry about that." Gabrielle deadpanned. She grabbed the remaining bracer and took his other hand, turning it over so she could fasten it. "So…you and Juliette seem to be getting on well. I guess you're really close?" she said, referring to the way the woman had been with him in front of her and Xena minutes before.

Leandros registered the bitter note in Gabrielle's tone and frowned slightly. What was wrong with her? He shrugged. "I wouldn't say close, but we do talk sometimes. She's quite a nice woman once you get to know her; kind, wise, beautiful."

"_Beautiful_…" Gabrielle whispered to herself, finishing the laces. She sighed and turned her back to him as she walked around the yurt.

What was wrong with her? So what if he thought Juliette was beautiful. She _was_, though it stung Gabrielle to admit it. Why should it matter to her? Even if she were to entertain the thought that maybe he was interested in her, why would he be? She was half the reason he couldn't leave. She was sure that he hated her for being kept under her and Xena's watch all the time.

But if he did, he didn't show it. Despite their rocky start, she and Leandros had been getting on for the past few days. Their arguments had become near non-existent and they started to talk a little more. She would consider them almost friendly acquaintances.

With a sigh, Gabrielle cast her eyes around the interior.

The tent looked just like almost every other she'd ever seen; furs lined the walls, rugs were laid out on the floor to cushion feet, and there was a circle of rocks in the centre with a small fire burning away, the embers glowing away within the wood. Standing on a nearby table, and hanging from the poles keeping the tent up, there were more oil lamps burning away – the light made the inside glow and kept the looming night at bay.

As she looked around, Gabrielle saw clusters of cushions piled around the edges and a comfortable pile of fur sat nearby. She could almost get a sense of what Juliette was like by looking at the belongings she possessed inside the tent. Leaning against a wall stood a bow, along with a quiver of arrows. Atop a chest of drawers sat a sheathed dagger and stretches of material identical to what Gabrielle normally saw her wear. Not strange for a traveller like her and her people to have. But what stood out were the little trinkets that she saw in a weaved basket beside the drawers.

It was filled with dolls and boxes and instruments, along with flasks and scrolls. Mundane items for people who travelled across the known world.

"The interior is beautiful, isn't it?" Leandros chuckled softly.

Gabrielle almost yipped when she felt his body shift close behind her. She hadn't realized he was so close. He'd been so quiet when he'd moved.

"Yes, it is." Gabrielle muttered. Feeling his long body so close behind her made her nerve endings tingle.

"It looks so great in here. The things she's fetched back from her travels with her people look so…_exotic_. One of these rugs is from Persia, and another from Chin. It's amazing to think that they've been to all these places, when I have not stepped foot out of Greece," he chuckled with amusement.

Taking her eyes away from the decorated interior, she turned slowly, seeing him beside her as he cast a thoughtful gaze around the tent himself. While he was inspecting the tent, Gabrielle felt herself unconsciously drawn to him.

Almost all trace of the scruffy, stubborn thief she'd met had been wiped clean. His scraggly beard was gone, his unkempt chocolate brown hair styled so it was swept back in attractive ripples. Now that he had changed his clothes, anyone would have thought that he were a different person altogether. The only thing that remained to betray him of his former self was his deep blue eyes.

Sensing her probing gaze, Leandros flicked his eyes toward Gabrielle. He noticed her cheeks were flushed with colour and she had a strange faraway look in her eyes.

His eyebrows knitted together slightly and he stepped closer to her, concern swirling in his chest. She never looked that way before. "Are you sure there is nothing wrong, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle shook her head. "No…I was just thinking to myself." With a nervous chuckle she stepped out of the almost intimate space between them, her face burning. "I'm a bard, it's what I do."

Leandros smiled. "Yes. That and talking everyone's ears off," he quipped with a chuckle.

Did he just make a joke? She pushed at his chest, making him stumble back a couple of paces. "Hey, I'm not that bad," she insisted.

Before she could retract her hands, Leandros caught them and held her. "I was only joking, Gabrielle. Xena mentioned once how you were when you first met." Leandros smiled softly. "You sounded endearing. I would have loved to have seen you when you were younger. I would bet all the dinars I have that you were just as lovely as you are now, and just as kind."

Gabrielle's heart skipped. "What did you say?"

As if realizing what he had just said, Leandros finally released her and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I…nothing. I meant…um," he looked over his shoulder. "I apologize. I'll go"

He turned to leave, but Gabrielle reached out and caught his arm. She swallowed when she felt the hardness of his muscles against her hand. "Wait! You don't have to go."

He looked down at her and smiled wryly. "I'm sorry Gabrielle. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Gabrielle shook her head. "I'm not uncomfortable," she protested.

Leandros smiled inwardly. He could tell she was obviously lying. She looked anything but relaxed. As she stared at him, her face became more and more filled with colour and her breathing seemed irregular. Almost as if she trying to keep it even and steady.

Suddenly he felt a strange twinge in his gut. Was it possible that she liked him? He couldn't help but feel hopeful as the heat from her hand seeped through the light material of his shirt. She still hadn't let go of him. No. She couldn't be. He rejected that idea as soon as it floated to the front of his mind. It was impossible. Why would the woman be attracted to him? From what he'd learned of her from Xena, Gabrielle didn't go for warrior and thieves and unfortunately, he was both.

The only reason she talked to him was because she knew that he couldn't run away because Xena wouldn't allow it. Perhaps she pitied him, or maybe it was fear? Gabrielle was too kind to admit that all she did was tolerate him. He was just kidding himself and he knew it.

He sighed. As much as he hated to do it, he pulled his arm out of her grasp and stepped back. "I should get going, Gabrielle. The show will be starting soon."

Surprised by Leandros's sudden change, Gabrielle nodded, trying not to let her disappointment leak into her tone. "Sure."

Leandros stared at her for a moment, unable to take his eyes away from her as she walked away to grab her staff. She looked sad all of a sudden and he couldn't stand it.

He waited until she was going to walk by him before he reached out to stop her. "Gabrielle? Would you…um, would you like to join me for breakfast, maybe? Tomorrow?"

Gabrielle's eyebrows nearly disappeared into her hair. "Breakfast? Aren't we all eating together?"

"Yes, we are. But I meant…" he stopped, dropping his hand. "It doesn't matter. I'll see you outside, Gabrielle," he said and turned, sweeping the tent fold aside as he left.

Gabrielle stared after him, confused and unsure of what happened. Biting her lip, she shook her head and with one last look around the tent, followed behind him.

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><p>CommentsReviews are welcome and deeply appreciated. If there are any spelling/grammar error or con-crit advice, please don't hesitate to inform me in a PM :) Thank you for reading!


	23. Bleeding Armour

_A/N: This chapter has recieved some editing._

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><p>After a quick glance around, Xena found Gabrielle's form leading toward the open air platform. She didn't need to wave or gesture to tell her friend where she was. It was as if Gabrielle instinctively knew. The corner of her mouth twitched into a smile as Gabrielle approached and seated herself in the space next to her. The bard saw the barely hidden smile and smiled back, but it only made Xena worry. There was a tired look in Gabrielle's eyes that hadn't been there earlier.<p>

She reached up and rubbed her arm. "Are you alright?"

Gabrielle was silent for a moment as she hesitated. Xena noticed her look up at the platform from the corner of her eyes, meaning to look without Xena noticing, but she caught the look. As she too glanced up, Xena caught sight of a young man helping Juliette on the stage. She felt a strong pinch of familiarity the longer she stared at him. She could have sworn she'd seen him somewhere. Then, as he turned to the crowd, lute in hand, she blinked in surprise as she caught sight of his deep blue eyes scanning the crowd.

"Is that…Leandros?" she didn't need to hear Gabrielle answer to confirm it. Of course it was. Though his hair was shorter and tamed, and his clothes did no longer resemble that of a scruffy, homeless person, but instead, someone who looked like a man, there was no mistaking the almost shy look in his gaze as his eyes met hers across the distance. He couldn't seem to look at her for more than two seconds before he looked away, swallowing hard as Juliette adjusted the lute strap over his shoulder.

"Yes, it is. I was a little shocked too by his change in appearance."

Xena looked down at her when she heard the strange hitch in her friend's voice. Even in the restricted light, she could see the flush of colour in Gabrielle's cheeks as she continued to look at Leandros on the stage. Pulling her hand back, Xena folded her arms, biting the inside of her cheek as she frowned at the young man in question. The longer she stared at him, the more she felt a stab of jealousy in her chest. Her blood started to boil when she looked out the corner of her eyes and saw Gabrielle smiling unconsciously up at him.

She sighed and crossed her legs, waiting impatiently for the show to start. Before, she hadn't cared much about the show. She had chosen to grab a seat situated in the centre back so that she would have a better vantage point of everything; making sure that everybody was safe and nothing went wrong. Now, as Juliette loped off the stage to hide behind the curtain and Leandros started plucking nervously at the strings, her attentions was not on the stage or the people watching, but the young woman that sat beside her.

The music started off tentative and unsure, but quickly progressed into something a little more tuneful after encouragement from the crowd. She did glance once up at Leandros when he'd started playing, and was surprised to see him stood with his eyes closed, stood still as his deft fingers moved over the strings. She saw his mouth moving, as though he was singing along with the song, but there were no words sang from him, or any other person. It was as if he was singing silently in his head, and his lips could do nothing but move along with his unspoken words.

When her gaze flicked back to Gabrielle, she noticed her sat on the edge of her seat, eyes also closed as she listened to his music. While the bard swayed, lost in her own world to the song, Xena continued to stare at her and her own breathing hitched.

The torches that were situated at every possible interval around the clearing had been lit, casting an orange glow upon the faces sat within the clearing. As the flames flicked in the breeze, the shadows created danced around, moving as if in time with the strum of the lute. As the shadows danced playfully over Gabrielle's face, Xena felt herself drawn to the smooth skin of her face. The glow made her skin look slick and flawless, erasing any possible imperfections, and coating her skin in a shiny gloss that made it look like burnished gold.

Moving down, her eyes caught sight of her lips, lifted up in lopsided smile as if she found something funny. The look made Xena smile too, but she didn't remove her eyes. She watched, unconsciously, running her tongue over her bottom lip when Gabrielle's smile grew wider as Leandros's song reached a happier lilt. A heated tingle travelled over her body as Gabrielle's arm brushed her own. She reached up, cupping the skin she'd touched.

She looked so beautiful when she was happy. Why couldn't she tell her? Selena had looked shocked when Xena had told her that they were together, but not as lovers. But she could understand her reaction. In her past, Xena usually wasted no time with pleasantries when it came to sex and taking anyone as her lover. But Gabrielle wasn't just _anybody_. She wasn't some stranger that she only met yesterday. She had known her for almost four years. She was a friend - family to her. Her fear of ruining the relationship they had now held her back. But as she continued to think, she wasn't completely sure that was all that held her back from revealing the feelings she had for Gabrielle.

She looked down at the blonde bard and wondered, biting her lip. In the past, Xena had been the Destroyer of Nations. She'd cared little about people's feelings and often took what she could not receive willingly. But she was different now. She had changed leagues from the woman she used to be. She learned compassion and patience from the very woman that sat beside her. Xena had never thought it possible to truly love, but Gabrielle's selflessness and resilience in times of hardship, and the way she found the beauty in everything made her think otherwise, made her heart open in a way she'd never thought possible.

Upon meeting Gabrielle, a part of Xena had looked down upon having a partner on her travels again. The wounds of her past and memories of Selena had been still too raw. So for Gabrielle's own safety, she'd kept her at arm's length as a way to protect her. Everything had started off well. They had established some sort of understanding between their new friendship. But soon enough, Gabrielle unwittingly started chipping away at the walls Xena had built around herself, and the stranger thing was, that Xena had let her. Every day the young idealist blonde surprised her, made her think and feel things she had thought long lost or forgotten. Somewhere along the way things had changed, a shift she had felt more than seen between them. She had never intended for Gabrielle to worm her way into her heart the way she had. But every smile she sent her way was another chink in her armour, every heartfelt hug - a flame that brushed against the ice that had encased her heart, melting it with nothing but her love.

Now, as she looked down at the blonde and saw her smiling and waving at the man on stage, just finished with his song and waving back, she didn't know how to feel. There was a look in Gabriele's eyes she noticed – not just because it was plain to see, but because it was a look Xena had often seen in her reflection when she'd caught herself thinking about Gabrielle. Seeing it now made her blood burn.

She forced the best smile she could muster and nodded in Leandros's direction when she noticed him looking at her, a concerned expression on his face. As soon as his expression softened, he smiled up at Juliette and followed her off the stage.

The gentle touch on her arm forced her glare away from his figure, and to the green eyes looking up at her. They shined in the torchlight, darkening as they caught the flames, making it look as though fire itself was trapped within them. "Xena? What's wrong?"

Xena shook her head. "Nothing." She smiled to ease the young woman's worry, and it seemed to work. Gabrielle knew better than to pry when there was something Xena didn't want to talk, but it didn't stop her from offering comfort. She rubbed Xena arm gently, making Xena's belly flutter almost unbearably from the contact.

Gabrielle smiled. "His song was lovely, wasn't it, Xena?"

"Yeah,"

Missing the flat tone in Xena's voice, Gabrielle took her hand back and played with her staff, plucking the fur near the top. "I wonder where he learned to play. He's in Darius's army, right? I wouldn't think he'd be the kind of warlord that allowed that kind of thing in his army."

"Maybe he didn't learn it during his time in Darius's army. Perhaps he learned it from someone outside?"

Xena watched Gabrielle's face, waiting to see the look of realization hit her. She had already figured out Leandros's identity. She had known for a while. His secrecy was a given because of where he came from, but during short conversations she had caught him in and listened in on discussions he'd had with others, it hadn't taken her long to realize who he was.

"His mother?" Gabrielle guessed out loud, more to herself than to Xena. She looked up as if or confirmation and met Xena's encouraging smile.

"His mother?"

"He spoke of her when we talked once. He said that she was different, like an angel. Maybe she taught him? Leandros said that he respected his mother greatly when he was a boy."

Xena shrugged. "Could be possible. But," she glanced up at Gabrielle to watch her expression, "if he and Darius are from the same village, then it might have been difficult."

Gabrielle frowned. "Why?"

"The village I passed through with my army had been a small fishing village, but they had rules. Self-expression was prohibited. It was to prevent children from growing up with dreams. It kept the children in the village and helped it prosper…before my army destroyed it."

"I couldn't imagine a place where I wasn't allowed to write," Gabrielle wrung her hands together, as if she was suddenly in need of a quill to write something down. "It seems like the worst torture for me." Gabrielle grinned up at her.

"That's how it was there."

They both became silent as they turned their attention to the stage and saw a couple of Juliette's people walk onto the stage, one holding a thin bamboo flute the size of her forearm, and another held a drum. As they started playing, Xena narrowed her eyes. Where was Leandros? After finishing and moving behind the stage, he hadn't come back to them. She'd expected him to. Juliette had returned and was stood, just hidden behind the curtain, offering encouragement to upcoming acts, but Leandros couldn't be seen anywhere.

~X~

Leandros smiled as he left the stage, heading toward the back where Juliette mentioned for him to go. He waved to some of the other acts as they waited to go on, and received pats on the back for his own performance. He nodded, thanking them for their kind words as he bounced down the wooden steps leading to the back and off the stage, an unfamiliar but welcome spring in his step. He felt lighter, and he was almost scared to admit, happy. He had played his music in front of a crowd. A live one that did not jeer at him for his "softness", nor was he taunted with the name "Gentle Warrior". He had played, and they had listened.

He closed his eyes, allowing a smile to stretch his mouth as he remember gazing out at the crowd and saw Gabrielle, her own eyes closed, a smile on her face, and swaying to the music as he plucked gently at the strings. Xena, he had noticed, had looked somewhat distracted during the song. But it didn't bother him. Xena was an intelligent woman. He guessed that she was making sure that everyone was safe as they watched. After everything that had happened since their arrival, he wouldn't be surprised if her mind was other things. He had smiled though when she had looked up an acknowledged him after he'd finished. It had made him feel happy.

As he unloosed the lute from around his shoulders and laid it against the stage, he looked out at the sky and smiled. The moon was bright; its light penetrated the thin grey clouds that floated along in the atmosphere. He was so engrossed in the sight, and the feel of the music as the next performers started their own music, that he didn't hear him until it was too late.

Suddenly he found himself being dragged along, fighting against the strong arms that held him, and his boots digging into the dirt as he attempted to stop his attacker and get away. But whoever had him was too strong. Fear slithered along his spine and swirled in his belly as he thought of who it was. Realizing the attacker's identity, he fought with renewed vigour as he watched the glowing light of the torches grew more distant, the sounds of the music fading, and he instead found himself engulfed by darkness; the only light from the moon as it trickled down through the treetops.

As he was forced to his feet, he tried to pull away, but was wrenched back and received a punch to the face. He grunted as the sound of flesh against flesh cracked in the quiet dark. He blinked in pain, wincing as he received another, was grabbed by his collar and was slammed hard into a tree. Leandros coughed in pain, spitting out the blood in his mouth as he was thrown again, slamming his back into the tree. His feet suddenly left the ground as he was lifted above it. "What did I tell you, you worthless pig?"

He had time to look down, ignoring the sting of the punches from the man that held him. Ivan's black hair looked even greasier than before in the dark, and his eyes held nothing but contempt as he stared at Leandros within his grasp.

Without giving him time to reply, Ivan thrust his hand forward, smashing it into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Leaning forward, Ivan brought his face close enough so that Leandros could smell the strong scent of ale on his breath. It stung his eyes. "You were told to kill them the first time- you failed. The last time I told you to get information, but I've watched, and all you've done is ignore me and play-you failed me. I don't like failure and I like my time being wasted even less!" he growled. Another punch.

Combined with the fear and pain he already felt, Leandros felt something else. Pressed against the skin of his throat under his jaw, he felt the cold hard steel of a blade. He didn't need to see that it was one. The sting he felt as the sharp edge bit into his skin was evidence enough.

"I didn't…I wanted to." Leandros started. "But I couldn't. There was nothing that they-"

"_Quiet_!" Ivan shook him, jarring the blade. "You _failed_, Leandros," he lifted the blade, turning it in the air, watching as it the moonlight glinted off it. His mouth twisted into a cruel smile and his eyes darkened maliciously. "And you know what my punishment is for failure, don't you, boy?"

Leandros clawed at Ivan's hand, struggling against him and started kicking in an attempt to escape. "You can try and shout for help, boy, but who is going to want to save you when they find out who you are? Whose brother you are and where your blood belongs?"

Leandros froze, his protests dissolving into nothing. Ivan was right. If Xena or Gabrielle found out that he was Darius's little brother, he suspected they wouldn't want to help. They were suspicious enough around him already, and that was just because he was part of his army. How would they react to the truth? He cast his eyes down, but he could feel Ivan self-satisfied smirk as he stared at him.

Leandros frowned then. He glared up at the man holding his shirt tightly in his grip. "But I am not my father, nor is Darius!"

Ivan clenched his teeth. "You're all cowards!"

Leandros blinked in shock. "Wait till Darius hears that his right hand man thinks he's a coward…do you think he'll be happy about that?"

A kick to his stomach and Leandros folded, quickly receiving a knee to his face. As Ivan grabbed his hair and wrenched his head up, he could hardly see through the tears that welled in his eyes from the pain. He tried to pull away, but Ivan was bigger and stronger than him and yanked him back, pushing him against the tree once again. "Don't ever talk to me like that. Who do you think you are? You and your fisherman brother are nothing. Darius doesn't deserve to be the leader. I was a soldier. I _fought_ the bitch. You're brother barely lasted longer than a minute and lost a finger over it."

Leandros panicked as Ivan reached up and cupped his hand around his neck, squeezing the air from him as his grip grew tighter. His words left as the air was choked from him. As he concentrated on trying to breathe and twist out of Ivan's grip, he felt the stab of the blade as it pieced the skin of his chest beneath his shirt, and was dragged along. He gritted his teeth, grunting in pain, willing himself not to show any weakness in front of Ivan as he dealt his punishment.

The hot blood trickled down to his stomach, but he didn't have enough time to think about the size or the depth of the cut before Ivan drew back the blade and pointed it in front of his left eye. Leandros froze in fear, watching, not Ivan, but the point of the blade that hovered so close to his eyeball. He knew Ivan could feel him tremble. His smile made that evident, but he didn't care.

"Now listen to me, boy. This is your last chance. Instead of playing house with those whores, I want you to get the information I want on them. I want to know their weaknesses, I want to know what makes them tick, and I want to know how to use them. As soon as you find out, send word and I'll prepare the men. Fail again and…" Ivan quickly pressed the blade into Leandros's jugular. He felt its sharp coldness as he swallowed. "Well, let's just say, I'll cut a little higher than your chest and a little deeper next time. As for that-" he pointed at the cut, "-tell them you fell on this," he said and threw the dagger onto the ground. "If you tell them anything more, I'll know."

Just one move. That is all it would take to reach the dagger and thrust it into Ivan's stomach, of his heart, or his neck. Leandros's lip trembled in anger and Ivan smirked, as if he knew what he was thinking. With one last sneer, Ivan released his grip from around his throat and shoved Leandros against the tree. He turned and disappeared into the darkness, but the remnants of his dark laughter remained even after he left.

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><p><em>Hi guys! Thank you for reading this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for the long wait (personal stuff). Anyway, as usual, if you have any issues regarding spellinggrammar, or have any con-crit, then please inform me in a PM so I can make changes. Any reviews/comments are welcome and deeply appreciated. Thank you again, and stay tuned for the next chapter! :D_


	24. Beautiful Lies

Aphrodite frowned as she looked out of her temple on mount Olympus. Something wasn't right. She could feel it. The air had turned cold in the room. She paced before her chaise, rubbing her arms to rid herself of the goosebumps that rose there; the diaphanous material of her pink gown floated behind her as she moved. She couldn't pinpoint what it was that bothered her, but she knew there was something amiss. She had been snappy for the past day, and her appetite for pleasure had dwindled to nothing. Her little mission with her son, Cupid, had become more of a chore, and because of her change in attitude, he had found himself at the end of her frustration.

They had travelled to Athens the day before. The turmoil she had seen when they had reached it had shocked her to no end. Aphrodite thrived on love – whatever the type – but what she had seen, what she had felt, hadn't been love in any degree. It had been more a kind of ravenous passion that tore at the mortals unlucky enough to experience it. Cupid had once mentioned, the lack of love, and too much passion, could cause the mortals to 'strip and pounce' in the middle of the street, and that was exactly what had happened.

The mortals she's seen in Athens seemed to be effected by the lack of love so much that they had dropped everything, and instead, had focused on nothing more than fighting others for a certain person. She hadn't been too worried at first. Instead, she had found it mildly amusing. But, it had come to a shock to her system when the mortals had started trying to kill each other when two wanted the same person.

Aphrodite and Cupid had looked at each other then, realizing just how serious it had become. The mortals needed cupid, just as much as they needed her. Whoever had sabotaged her son's bow either didn't know what they had done, or, the more disconcerting thought was, that they knew perfectly well what they were causing.

Resting her hands on the window, Aphrodite stared outside. She felt so weak. This whole ordeal was taking its toll on her. It saddened her, seeing how much love was absent in the mortal realm, and it was spreading like a forest fire. She knew, pretty soon that it would reach other corners of Greece. Just when it looked as though they had sorted out one village, a town somewhere else popped up with reports of the same thing. Then the town would become a city, and the people would turn on each other, shooting accusations and attempting to kill. The ones they had once claimed to love.

She sniffed as she felt the tears spring in her eyes. Who would do this? Who loathed her and her son enough to want to sabotage Cupid's bow and dissolve love? The hate it turned into was overpowering and lay heavily on her heart, making it hard for her to breathe. Aphrodite wasn't one to make enemies – at least, none she knew of or made intentionally. She racked her brain for possible answers, but came up empty every time. It was as though the lack of love was scrambling her own thoughts as well.

"Aphrodite? Are you…crying?"

Aphrodite jumped at the soft voice behind her. She'd been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she hadn't heard anyone enter, nor had she felt the presence of another god. She quickly wiped her eyes and looked back. Hephaestus was stood in her doorway, unsure. He looked as though he might have been on his way to see her, but had stopped at her cries. She waved for him to come in and he did.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were there," she said. As he approached, Aphrodite wiped her eyes again. She just couldn't seem to stop the onslaught of tears that escaped her eyes. She forced a smile. "I was miles away, Heph."

Hephaestus smiled grimly at her attempt at a smile and lowered what he'd been holding onto a table. When he was close enough, he reached out and pulled her into his embrace. He felt the difference in her immediately. She had felt tense at first, but as he wrapped his strong arms around her, and she rested her head on his chest, she relaxed against him. It was as though she drew strength from his presence. The thought filled him with happiness.

Aphrodite sighed contentedly, closing her eyes as she felt the warmth of his embrace chase away the cold. "It's so good to see you," she whispered.

"It's only been a couple of days, Aphrodite," he chuckled at her unexpected words.

Aphrodite smiled at the sound of his laugh, felt it rumble through his chest. It was a good sound and worked to set her at ease. "I know, but with everything that's been going on, it feels like it's been a lifetime." She nuzzled into his chest, as if by doing so she could bring herself closer than she already was.

Hephaestus frowned slightly at the goddess's tone and pulled back. Placing a finger under her chin, he lifted her face to look at him. When she did, the look upon her face made his stomach clench tightly in both desire and concern. She looked so vulnerable and sad, yet her beauty still managed to shine through. "What is bothering you, Aphrodite? Is it your boy's bow, because I'm almost halfway done making another? Pretty soon we'll-"

Aphrodite lowered her gaze, shaking her head. "It's not just that, Heph. This has never happened before – his bow breaking I mean, and I never imagined it to affect me as it has. Whoever broke it…they must be messed up. Because he can't do his job properly, I can feel the love disappearing from the world. Imagine a goblet holding sand; each grain of sand is true love and all in between. Then suddenly, for reasons that are unknown to you, someone comes along and pierces the bottom of the goblet without warning and without reason, and now suddenly it's all falling away. You try to catch it, but it slips through your fingers, no matter how much you try to save it." She paused to swallow back the tears that threatened to choke her. "That's what is bothering me. Love is my power, but I feel it disappearing faster than Cupid and I can save it. We have tried, made efforts everywhere to maintain the love. But it's leaving, slipping through my fingers…like sand."

Aphrodite's sad words tugged at his heartstrings, and though he wanted to offer a way to help her, he could do know more than stand there and comfort her. Love was not is field of work; the only time he had experienced it – felt it – was when Aphrodite had introduced him to it. Before then, love had been nothing but a myth to him and he had been alright with it remaining so. That was, until, he experienced what it was like to be in love. He knew she hadn't meant for him to fall in love with her, but he couldn't help it, nor would he ever wish to go back to the way he had been before, when he believed it didn't exist.

Reaching up, he cupped her cheek and used his thumb to wipe away the tears that fell silently from her eyes. "This will all work out, Aphrodite," he said, his voice deep and rumbling. "We _will_ find out who did this, and you and your boy will continue to spread the love. I believe in you."

She smiled warmly at his words of comfort and leaned her face further into his hand, enjoying the feel of his rough skin against her cheek. She wound her fingers around his forearm. "Thank you, Heph. That means a lot to me." She paused for a moment as she stared at him.

"What is it?"

She shook her head. "Nothing…I just." She laughed, and even to her it was the most genuine sounding laugh she'd released in days. "It's nothing."

Reaching up on her tip toes, the goddess pressed a kiss against the metallurgist's stubble cheek. She felt him tense under her and smiled as she pulled back. As she looked into his deep brown eyes, she found an old but familiar feeling swirling in her belly. It had been a long time since they had been lovers. She had felt something during the time they had spent together, but, despite being the goddess of love, she herself had left at the first sign of it. She feared what it would be like to be with only one man for the rest of her eternal life and fled. It had been selfish of her and she knew she had broken his heart, but she had also been young and rash.

During their separation, she had seduced many men and women and taken them back to her bed, hoping to fill the void that had unexpectedly developed after leaving Hephaestus. But none of them could. Instead, all it did was serve to remind her of what she had left behind in a moment of foolishness. Still, it was no excuse, and even after everything between them, she wondered how he was still able to stand her. Even now, he looked at her as though she was the only woman in existence; his eyes held a kind of warmth that made her heart skip, and a smile that set her at ease. He acted as a shoulder for her to lean on and always offered words of wisdom and comfort. But she didn't dare to wish that the man held a shred of love for her after she did to him. He was life a father to Cupid – he didn't have anything against him, but when it came to Aphrodite? The thought of him hating her made her sad, but he wouldn't be unjustified in holding some hate for her. But despite all that, she was glad he felt he could still be civil toward her.

"It's okay, Aphrodite. You can tell me," he said, prompting her to share her thoughts.

She shrugged and stepped out of his arms, suddenly feeling unworthy of his comforting embrace. "I just hope that we are able to sort this out soon. It looks like I'm gonna have to earn this love back this time. I don't think I could stand losing you or Cupid, as well as my other brothers and sisters."

Hephaestus chuckled as he reached forward and brushed the goddess's cheek with his fingertips. "You will never lose me, Aphrodite." He leaned down and planted a kiss on her forehead. "We _will_ sort this out," he vowed.

When he turned, Aphrodite watched as he left the room, smiling over his shoulder at her one more time before he pushed her beaded curtain aside. She couldn't help but smile and placed her hand over her heart, taking no notice of the coldness that swept through the room, making the curtains flap almost angrily.

~X~

Selena turned over for what must have been the tenth time in five minutes. Finally, resigning herself to the fact that she wasn't going to sleep again, nor did she want to, she opened her eyes, and saw the empty cup that sat on the table beside her. She frowned and reached up to knock it over. The mixture Juliette had given her had done nothing at all to help her sleep. Instead, it had done nothing but give her cramps and a headache. The sleep she _had_ managed had once again been filled with nothing but bloody images and screams.

She sat up in bed, rested her back against the headboard, and rubbed a hand down her face. The room was dark – the only source of light was the moonlight that spilled in, illuminating the end of her bed and filtered through the thin curtains.

A strong breeze blew through the open window, flapping the curtains wildly until, finally, it settled into a calm breeze. It was cool and helped decrease the heat that had taken over her face, making her hair stick to her cheeks and forehead, but it did nothing to calm the way her heart raced. The dreams were getting worse, yet the dream she had experienced had not been one of the attack on her village. Instead, the dream had been something that seemed familiar, but nothing she could remember. Her dream had involved Theodorus. He had been in his house, sat at his fireplace, staring into the fire with a vacant stare. When he'd realized she was in his house, he stood and reached out to her, as if in apology. But instead of accepting it, Selena had watched from outside her body as she had attacked him instead. His screams of terror and pain had been what had woken her.

They had seemed so real, yet at the same time, not. She wondered if it was as Xena had said; that her mind was torturing her over her inability to help those that had been close to her. Her friends had died at the hands of the slave traders, and because she had been unable to save them, their cries for help and mercy haunted her dreams. Was that the case with Theodorus? Though they had come to a strong dislike for each other near the end of his life, she had still help some love for him in her heart. He had been there, supported her when she'd come to the town. It was only after she turned him down that he had become bitter. He hadn't been a bad man. Not being able to settle things between them weighed heavily on her heart. Perhaps that was the cause for these dreams?

The sound of faint music travelled on the breeze and trickled into her room. She smiled wryly. She was missing the first night of the festivities of Juliette's caravan. From the sounds she was hearing, the musicians there were all taking turns in playing their music. She wondered what Xena thought to it all? She had always been a reserved woman when they had travelled together, never really taking interest in arts of any degree. Perhaps, now that she had softened a bit, she could open herself to new experiences and enjoy them, much like she had done with her heart, for Gabrielle.

The image of them together played across her mind and she scowled bitterly, biting down on her lip hard. _Damn that woman!_ She thought.

_Yes…hate her…_

Selena froze, staring wide eyed around the room. The voice had been nothing more than a breathy whisper, a sound that reminded her of rapture. She looked toward the darkness at the opposite end of the room where she thought she had heard it and stared, squinting in attempt to make out any figures hidden within the shadows.

"Hello?" she called her voice a little shaky .No answer came. She cleared her throat and frowned, forcing some authority into her voice. The thought that she was being played with didn't bode well with her. "If this is some sort of jest, I want you to leave now!"

She waited a few minutes, but still no reply came. Thinking that maybe the voice had been from her imagination, Selena sighed and rose from her bed. Padding over to her window, she rested her hands on the sill and looked out. The sun had completely fallen and was replaced by its softer equivalent. The moon glowed softly, illuminating the land with its glorious silver light as it hung in the blackness. She could see from her window the soft orange glow of the light in the trees. She didn't know how long she had been asleep, but she knew that the shows that the caravan held normally went on through the night. At least, she thought they did. She had never managed to stay awake a full night when they had come last. Ale and dancing had usually stolen her concentration, and left her staggering back to her bed the last time they had visited.

Dancing

Selena closed her eyes, remembering the dancing she had watched from them; the sway of the women that had danced had been both exotic and seductive. They had travelled the Known World and learned dances from most countries, and when she had watched them, Selena had sat with a burning in her chest and heavy eyes. Hardly able to contain herself, she had joined them in their dance and learned more than a few moves that she could scarcely remember. But, something she hadn't managed to try was dance with a partner, to explore the stories of the dances with.

Feeling her mouth turn up at the corner, Selena imagined herself dancing with Xena. She knew her old friend hadn't danced in the past…but now, perhaps, unless she would want to dance with Gabrielle?

She frowned and her eyes snapped open. Of course she would want to dance with her! Anyone with eyes could tell that Xena was in love with her…except Gabrielle herself. It seemed they were both blind in their own ways; Gabrielle to Xena's obvious feelings, and Xena to hers. She wasn't sure if Gabrielle knew it herself yet, but she could tell there was something there. The way she looked at Xena held more than what appeared on the surface, she was sure of it. She sighed and shook her head, unable to understand how two people could lie so beautifully to each other, and themselves.

The image of Theodorus's body flashed before her eyes, his screams piercing her ears with his pain. Her hands flew to her ears as a way to stave of the sound, but it was as if it reverberated in her mind, ricocheting of the walls of her unconscious memories. She fell to her knees, closing her eyes tightly and fought to steady her breathing.

_Lies…lies….lies_, the voice whispered from the darkness again. The familiar sound of it chilled her blood. She risked looking up toward the shadows covering the door and could have sworn she saw eyes staring at her.

"Who-who are you?" she whimpered. Her eyes snapped shut as images rushed in her mind: a hexagon with a golden apple placed within the centre, a bust of a goddess with it carved into it, a smooth face and terrible beauty, a dark cloak drifting around it.

When she reopened her eyes, her breath caught in her throat. The form was knelt before her; when she reached out to touch it, her hand fell straight through, like she was trying to touch smoke. The blackness concealed the form's face, but left its eyes uncovered. As it glared at her the power of its stare almost stopped her heart completely.

She shook where she was kneeling, her whole body frozen as she tried, but failed, to wrench her eyes from the ghostly form. She flinched when it reached out to her, extending its smoky arm and brushed her hair aside. Her skin felt cold, frozen as though an icicle had caressed her face.

_Beautiful liar…_, it whispered and smiled.

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><p><em>Thank you for reading this chapter. If you have any commentsreviews about it, they are welcome and deeply appreciate. If you have any issues regarding spelling or grammar that I might have missed, or you have Con-crit, please don't hesitate to inform me so in a PM. Thanks for following the story and your support :D_


	25. Remembering

"How does someone just _fall on a dagger_?" Gabrielle asked again.

Xena stared at Leandros, watching as he bowed his head to stare down at his boots, wincing as Dantorix threaded the needle through his skin, pulling the ends together a little closer. The look she had seen on his face had been one of guilt. She couldn't understand. If it had been an accident as he kept insisting, he shouldn't look so guilty. Everyone makes mistakes, she could understand that. But the manner in which he had received the wound didn't sit well with Xena and only supported the conclusion she had reached in her head. She looked now at his shirt, lying over the back of another chair, and frowned. If he had indeed fallen onto the dagger as he had said, the shirt should have been ripped too, and even then the wound wouldn't have been a slice, but more of a stab wound.

When he had come back from behind the stage and they had seen him bleeding, she and Gabrielle had shot up from their seats and all but flown over to him. He waved off their questions, and aside from explaining what had happened to him, had remained silent for most of the night. Xena had pushed him for answers, but he had remained annoyingly insistent with his story, a story that sounded suspiciously rehearsed.

Leandros winced again, breathing sharply as the healer pierced his skin again to thread the stitching through. He had already washed and cleaned the wound. All that was left was stitching the cut. Dantorix made the stitches small, guaranteeing that the scar that Leandros would undoubtedly receive from his deep wound would be thin and hardly noticeable when it fully healed.

Shaking his head, Leandros waved his hand at Gabrielle. "It's exactly as I said, Gabrielle, leave it, okay?"

Gabrielle frowned at his tone, but let it wash over her. She reached out to touch his hand and was surprised when he flinched, wrenching his hand back. The sharp movement knocked Dantorix's hand and the needle pulled at his skin.

"Argh! Be careful, healer!" Leandros snapped indignantly. He glared at the young man.

When Dantorix apologized, Xena thought he sounded anything but sorry, and she believed him right in feeling just as frustrated at Leandros. His constant movements were making it hard for him to concentrate on doing his job. "Apologies, but you moved. It was nobody's fault but your own. If you kept still then it wouldn't hurt as much."

Leandros sighed. He rested his elbow on the table and held his chin in his hand, looking very much the part of a child who had been told off. He remained as still as he could while the healer carried on his work; the only sign of pain or discomfort made was the occasional closing of his eyes or the clenching of his teeth.

Looking down at Gabrielle, Xena saw the young blonde's face carrying a concerned expression as she stared at the young man. She knew Gabrielle thought there was something amiss too, but wouldn't press for answers as hard as Xena would normally. She pushed away from the wall when the healer had finished his job and started collecting his things. While Leandros reached for his shirt, Xena gestured to Dantorix to come to her.

"What is it, Xena?" he asked curiously.

She nodded discreetly to Leandros. "What do you think?"

"About the wound?"

"About everything; the wound, the story he gave. I have treated cut wounds and accidental wounds in the past as a healer. His wound doesn't seem accidental to me."

Dantorix nodded and looked over at Leandros. "Yes, the story he gave does sound a little farfetched to me. What do you think gave him it?"

Xena narrowed her eyes. "I don't think it's a matter of '_what'_, but rather a case of '_who'_ did it."

Hearing their conversation, Gabrielle stepped closer, lowering her voice an octave to keep her words quiet. "You think someone attacked him?"

They watched as Leandros pulled his shirt on over his head gingerly, gasping when he moved too sharply, or brushed his wound. Even from where they were stood and with the restricted light from the flickering candles, Xena could see the patchwork of scars across his muscled back.

Lowering her mouth to Gabrielle's ear, she whispered to her. "Have you seen his back?"

Gabrielle nodded. "It looks as though he sleeps on a bed of knives."

"Either that, or '_falling on blades'_ is a regular occurrence for him," Xena sighed.

When Gabrielle stared back up at her, her eyebrows were drawn together deeply in concern. Xena knew her words suggested some type of torture. Knowing that Leandros came from a warlord's army, it wasn't impossible for him to have undergone it as some type of punishment. The higher ranked warriors often cut their soldiers as a way to discipline them – keep them in line. If that was the case with this new wound, that meant that Leandros had someone on his back, someone from Darius's army who had visited him and might be giving orders. If the cut was his punishment that meant Leandros had continuously disobeyed him. She wasn't sure how to feel about that.

She had thought that, if another warrior came to him, he would surely run away and escape with them. But Leandros remained. Now, all she had to figure out was why. He initially stayed because she ordered it of him. But knowing that one of his men had managed to reach him but he stayed, begged the question as to why.

Xena stared passed Dantorix. "Would you mind leaving us so we can talk with Leandros?" she asked and moved passed Dantorix. She noticed the healer bow his head silently and closed the door behind him on his way out.

As if he could physically feel their eyes on him, Leandros turned to face them. "What's wrong?" he asked, cringing in pain as he shrugged on his jerkin.

"Sit back down," she said, kicking the chair he'd been sitting on toward him again. He stared at it then her, his expression a question mark. "Now." Not wanting to challenge her, Leandros wisely chose to sit. Xena leaned back against the table, crossing her arms and ankles. "Are you going to tell us where that really came from?" she asked, pointing to the blood soaked mark on his shirt.

Leandros sighed. "I told you-"

"And it was a lie, wasn't it?" Xena interrupted him.

He stared at her, wide eyed, unsure of what to say. "I-I…"

"Be careful what you say, Leandros. You're still under my watch, y'know? Now…start giving me some answers." Xena pointed to his shirt again. "Who gave you that cut?"

Leandros looked over at Gabrielle, as if by doing so she could save him from this interrogation. But Gabrielle merely stared at him, as curious as Xena.

He stared back at his feet again and closed his eyes. He couldn't tell them…he couldn't. If he did, not only would he be betraying Darius and the rest of them, but he knew Ivan had a way of finding things out. He would know if he told and would come to fulfil his deathly promise. If he told Xena, he was sure she would kill him too. Though she and Gabrielle had treated him with a type of kindness, this was Xena – the woman whose army had destroyed his village as a child. As a young woman, she had possessed the power to wipe out his village. What would stop her from doing the same, but to him? If he told the truth, either way he was sure death would find him.

He didn't want to do the job that had been assigned to him anymore than he wanted to die. Every day, he thought of a way that they could all come away from this unscathed. The rumours of the warrior princess he had grown up with did not match the woman that stood before him today. He had been a child when her army had attacked the village. But as young as he had been, it hadn't escaped his notice that she had not been the one to order it.

But, if it was the only way to guarantee his survival, he knew it had to come at any cost. Even the fragile friendships he had created between the two women that stood before him. Though it was not in his nature to lie, he knew he had to – to protect them, as well as himself. He just hoped they would understand someday.

He glanced up and saw them still watching, waiting for him to talk. Rubbing his hands down his face, Leandros sighed. God, he felt so tired all of a sudden.

"Leandros?" Gabrielle said softly. When he looked over at her, she smiled warmly, making his heart constrict in his chest. "Just tell us."

"I…," he stammered.

"Yes?" Xena prompted.

"I don't know," he said quickly. He had been answering a question in his head, but anonymity seemed to work. Xena and Gabrielle both wore equal looks of confusion.

"You don't know?"

He nodded and related an imaginary tale of being attacked in the dark by a complete stranger. Ivan's attack had definitely not been imaginary. The details he conveyed were realistic enough for Gabrielle to buy them, but to him, he knew Xena would be much harder to convince. He told her of his attempt to fight back.

"They ran off then. I figured they were after money, but when they realized I had none that's when they cut me."

"Did you see their face?" Xena asked.

Leandros shook his head. "No." Xena sighed as she rose. He reached to her, grasping her forearm. When she looked back at him, he let go quickly.

"That's your story?" she asked and he nodded. "You're sticking with it?"

She watched him then. He seemed to hesitate at her question, as if he'd read between the lines and realized that she didn't believe him. Still, she waited for his answer.

"Yes," he finally said, his tone laced with finality.

She stared at him for a long time. She couldn't figure out this young man. He was one of the most complex men she had ever encountered. He declared himself to be a warrior, yet could not strike a blow against her if he wanted to, and claimed not to care for either of them when that was so clearly not true. He seemed almost smitten with Gabrielle, and whenever he looked at Xena, she thought she saw a mixture of fear and respect that she couldn't understand. Despite his family connections and his past, Leandros gave off a vibe that contradicted his appearance and his attitude. She had seen him interacting with the children and displayed a softness that belied the image of a ruthless warrior he so often tried to assert himself as.

Now he lied to her, knowing full well that she knew he did, but instead of crumbling and telling her, he held fast. Whatever it was he was trying to prove, either to her or himself, she hoped it would be worth it.

Getting the familiar feeling she got in her gut that told her to hold on, Xena sighed at him. "Get some sleep then. We'll talk more tomorrow."

~X~

"Leandros!" Darius growled as he moved around the table, looking through drawers. "Leave, boy! Go, with the rest of the women and children!"

Leandros shook his head defiantly and backed away from his angry brother. He had only been ten summers old, but had his mother's strength and courage. He puffed out his chest. "I don't like those pirates. I want to help you fight if things go badly."

"You are only a child, what do you expect to do?"

"I am not a child!" Leandros retorted indignantly. "I'm almost eleven!"

Darius paused in his rummaging to stare at his younger brother. Thinking that he would hit him for his defiance, Leandros stepped back as his brother approached. Instead, Darius surprised him by kneeling before him and rested a hand on his shoulder, his eyes shining with amusement.

"You remind of our mother so much, Leandros." His smile fell then. "But she died too for unnecessary reasons. I don't want you to get hurt either."

Leandros pumped his arm. "Feel my muscles, Darius. They've gotten really big. I can fight!"

Darius smiled and poked his little brother's bicep. "Very impressive. But no."

Seeing his brother's smile, Leandros pouted. But their little moment didn't last any longer. A sound from outside their cottage stole their attention. Looking up, Leandros noticed all trace of a smile wiped from his brother's face. Instead, a look of fearful determination had taken its place. He followed behind like a shadow as Darius left the cottage and came face to face with a couple of pirates, turning over empty crates under the window.

"Hey, look what we have here. Hey! Fisherman? Gimmie some food and ale, now!" the biggest of them drunkenly demanded. "We've run out."

"My food is not free. If you want something, you pay for it. Just like everybody else."

The man stared at him and narrowed his eyes in anger. "Do you know who I am - who I work for?"

Darius was hesitant at first, but then said through clenched teeth, "The Destroyer of Nations."

"Exactly," the pirate replied with a grin. He gestured around at the village. "You wouldn't want her to _destroy_ this place now, would ya?"

"She has no right to be here, and you have no right to demand. I refuse accommodate the demands of a filthy pirate!"

The pirate spat on the floor and drew his sword. "You insolent pig!"

Scared at the sight of the two men drawing their weapons, Leandros hid behind his brother. That was until he felt Darius push him away, never breaking his eye contact with the men. "Run away, Leandros. Now. Find somewhere to hide."

"But, I can help you!"

The pirate laughed. "Better do as your daddy says, boy."

"He's my big brother! And he's a lot tougher than you, so you better leave us alone!" Leandros shouted at the man, making him laugh harder.

"Look at this. The child is sticking up for his _big brother_!" Both pirates laughed and elbowed each other, as if they found the concept extremely funny.

Darius turned to Leandros, his face red with anger. "_Leave_!" he shouted.

When his brother looked at him like that and shouted, Leandros could do nothing but comply with his wishes. He ran away from the cottage, only looking over his shoulder when he heard the voices of his brother and the two men rise above the sound of the sea waves crashing against the shore not too far away.

Leandros didn't know where to run to. But when he recognized the decorated brown war horse tethered to one of the poles outside the tavern down the path, he pushed his feet harder against the ground. He thought that, perhaps if the men wouldn't listen to Darius, they would listen to their leader.

He walked meekly into the tavern, holding his arms at his side as he watched many of the men inside drinking, swearing or taking women with them upstairs onto the second level. The raucous noise was almost deafening and he had to shout to be heard when he reached her.

The Destroyer of Nations was sat at one of the tables with a group of her men, throwing the contents of her tankard down her throat. Leandros thought she looked frighteningly powerful as she sat there, even as drunk as she obviously was. Her armour looked to be made of leather and coins; pressed and linked together to create a shimmering covering that protected her torso. Her helmet seemed to be made of the same creation, and the sides dangled down past her ears. Her trousers were made of leather, but at the belt, Leandros saw a very long and dangerous looking sword attached there.

She swayed slightly where she sat, laughing at something one of her men said when he reached for her. He tugged carefully and received a swat to his hand. "Go away, kid. I'm busy."

"Miss Destroyer...your men are picking on my brother. Can you tell them to leave us alone?"

The men at the table laughed, and Leandros frowned as she joined in too. "Very funny. Now leave me alone."

He waited there; standing beside her until The Destroyer of Nations seemingly couldn't take his staring anymore. She pulled her sword from its scabbard and laid the blade against his neck. "You better leave. I don't like being stared at."

Leandros's knees shook and he swallowed at the threat of her sword against his neck, but he still held her with his steadfast gaze. "Please, miss Destroyer. We haven't done anything wrong, but your men are going to hurt my brother."

She glared at him. "No they won't. I haven't ordered it."

"Then why do they point their swords at him, like you are with me?"

The woman looked slightly taken aback by his boldness and quirked an eyebrow at him. She sheathed her sword and rose to her feet. "Where?"

Leandros released his breath and bid her to follow him. He could hear her frustration and feared what kind of repercussions his behaviour would result in if the Destroyer of Nations decided to hurt him. He hadn't meant to demand like the pirates had, but they were the reason he needed her. She followed behind him, but when the sound of screaming reached them from nearby, The Destroyer moved in the opposite direction he wanted her to go.

"Wait! It's this way!" he implored, tugging at her.

Determined to find out where the screaming was coming from, The Destroyer of Nations shoved him away and drew her sword again. She circled around a nearby stable and shouted at the top of her voice. "What are you _doing_?"

When he reached her and peeked around the corner, he saw a group of men attacking a woman and her children. They had been beaten black and blue by men who obviously looked as though they'd had too much to drink. The Destroyer of Nations ran into the group, shoving the men away and helped the woman and children to their feet. As soon as they were able to stand up by themselves and walk away, she turned on her men and punched the closest one to her. The cracking noise sounded out, followed by a gasp and he fell to the group, holding his nose.

"What in Tartarus is going on here? Who started this?" The Destroyer of Nations demanded.

Leandros heard as they all blamed each other, but what he couldn't take his eyes off was the warlord before him, defending the woman and her children that her own men had attacked. He watched as she shoved her men, slapped a couple and gave them orders to clean up and leave. When they had left, she then turned to the woman, swaying where she stood and told them that it wouldn't happen again.

Though the Destroyer of Nations was every bit as scary as Darius had told him she was, he had not expected to see the hint of compassion she held toward the women and her children. It doused the tales of her evil and immortality slightly, making her more human to him. He jumped when she quickly turned to him and ordered him to continue.

But they would never make it back in time before it all turned upside down. Before they had even gotten halfway there, the roof of the tavern and the stables were set alight by torches that had been thrown. Suddenly, the village broke into a state of panic, and Leandros found himself unable to find his bearings. He heard the voice of the Destroyer of Nations rise over the rest, screaming at her men to stop. But no matter how much she tried, they continued, and when she reached the men and hit them, they fought back, as well as fought any villagers that passed them by.

Many of her men saw their leader in battle and took it as a cue to follow suit. Soon, Leandros found himself frozen on the spot, watching as the people he had grown up with, the people had come to know as friends fell to the ground and soaked the ground with their blood. The sound that had finally broken him out of his standstill was the familiar sound of his brother's enraged voice.

He followed the sound toward the source, ducking out of the way of swords and people bustling about as they tried to escape. When he finally found Darius, he saw him facing the Destroyer of Nations. His face was covered in cuts and the onset of bruises, but Leandros knew he hadn't received them from The Destroyer of Nations. Her sword was dangling from her hand at her side, and she as downhill – a distance away from him.

Darius approached, waving a sword that didn't belong to him. "_Destroyer_!" he screamed, running toward her.

Even in her drunken state, the woman was able to easily fight off Darius; deflecting his blows as easily as swatting a fly. Her lack of effort seemed to make him angrier and more determined.

"Darius! Stop! She doesn't want to fight you!" Leandros shouted.

"She's attacking the village, Leandros. Run!" Darius shouted in between hits.

"No, brother! She didn't order it!"

"Listen to the kid, Darius," The Destroyer of Nations said, deflecting another blow. Leandros noticed her words sounded almost familiar to the ones her pirates had used earlier. Darius seemed to notice too and reacted as if to their taunts.

He brought the sword down hard against the woman's, but even after the sound of the swords clashing had finished ringing, Darius's screams carried on. He dropped to his knees, holding his right hand carefully in his other and cried out in alarm as blood seeped out from the gaps between his fingers. He cried; his tears fell down his cheeks, creating tracks in the dust that had settled on his face when he saw his finger in the grass before him.

"Darius!" Leandros shouted, dashing over to him and fell beside his brother. He looked up at the woman still standing behind them. "Please! Please, help him!" he sobbed, feeling his own tears finally spring to his eyes.

He watched as the woman stared at them both, a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. She looked like she might, but Darius's next words halted any help she might have given and instead, condemned him to his own anger.

"Bitches like her don't have heart enough to offer help to those they feel they can squash under their boot, Leandros! Remember that!"

The Destroyer of Nations stepped away from them, her face contorted in anger. She punched one of her men that ran at her and hopped onto her horse when she whistled for it. Without another look at them, the woman rode away; pushing past the men that had once been under her control.

~X~

Leandros sighed as moved away from the window and pulled off his shirt and boots, throwing them carefully over to the table that stood in his room. Lowering himself carefully onto his bed, he finally relaxed, moving so that he lay on the flat of his back.

That had been the last time he had seen Xena when she had been known as The Destroyer of Nations. Soon after that, he had heard of her only from what Darius and his band of men he had formed had told him. He understood his brother's anger towards her for cutting off his finger, and the deaths and state the village had been left in, but Leandros had also known the truth of what had really happened that day and couldn't find it in himself to blame her for something that hadn't directly been her fault. Going against Darius and what he thought happened had only served to push him down further down the chain of command. The men that held a higher position than him were a mixture of those that managed to flee, or those that wanted to join his cause.

But over the years, the title Destroyer of Nations had become less and less heard of and, without a cause, Darius had grown bitter. The men lacked a purpose and had eventually fallen into petty thievery and, in their most desperate of times, slave trading, completely tarnishing their reputation and turning them into that which they had vowed to fight against.

Over the years that followed that day, Leandros had resigned himself to following the orders he was given out of love and respect for his brother; he was his last remaining family, he wouldn't abandon him. He only wished Darius could get past the dark curtain that had covered his eyes and remember what had really happened, listen to reason and understand. But he knew his hope was more wishful thinking than anything else. How could you change someone who had thought a certain way for too long that they had let it plague everything in their life, blinding them from the truth?

* * *

><p><em>Thank you for reading this chapter. Reviews and comments are welcome and appreciated and, as usual, if you have any issues about spelling, grammr, or Con-crit, please don't hesitate to tell me so in a PM. :D<em>


	26. Monster

The light coming in made the insides of her eyelids red, as though the sun god had lifted the blazing orb and set it down in her very room. Xena lifted her hand to block out the sun as it filtered in through the annoyingly thin curtains, but it was no help. She had no idea of what time it was, but from the quiet, broken only by the sound of the birds chirping their songs, she guessed it was early.

She sighed and turned, rolling over onto her side and felt her nose hit something. Pulling back quickly, she looked, only to realize that it was just Gabrielle. The blonde was asleep, facing her with her hands clasped under her cheek, snoring softly. Xena had almost forgotten she was there. Though they had been given separate rooms, Gabrielle snuck into hers every night after she was sure Selena had gone to bed. Xena knew the bard wouldn't say anything because she didn't want to upset the tavern owner.

Xena smiled as she remembered how she had waited on her bed, listening for Gabrielle's footsteps. Then, right on cue, the small blonde had crept into the room, pulling down the latch behind her and quietly made her way over with a smile to snuggle in beside Xena.

They had talked about the events of the day and the shows on the first night of the festival. But that had led to Leandros and his 'accidental' wound. Gabrielle had displayed her worry, mentioning how even to her the wound looked intentional. She couldn't understand why he would lie about being attacked. When Xena had voiced her suspicions that it was one of Darius's men, Gabrielle had only become more concerned.

The bard's worry for him, regardless of what he was and how they had first been toward each other, surprised Xena. Gabrielle was kind, compassionate and understanding – it would make sense for her to worry about others before herself, as she usually did. But Xena couldn't help but feel that it was becoming something else, something less friendly and…_more_. She didn't know how to feel about that. She loved the young bard; she always had even before she admitted the feelings to herself, but the thought of her being with someone else made her stomach clench with fear and anger. Fear that she was losing her to someone else, and anger that that person wasn't her.

She reached over and, with a delicacy that betrayed her fearsome warrior image, brushed Gabrielle's hair from her face, letting the silky, golden tresses slip through the gaps of her fingers. She froze as the bard mumbled something in her sleep and shuffled closer, burying her face further into her pillow. Smiling, Xena copied her, snuggling closer to the bard, wrapping the sheet tighter around them.

It was at times like this that Xena felt she could tell her, where Gabrielle was completely unaware to anything around her. She had spoken the words before to the bard, confident that she wouldn't hear them in her heavy sleep and free herself from the threat of rejection. Why was it that she could face an entire army, go against any monster and stand up to gods, but when it came to Gabrielle she felt like a child, and fear took over her body? One day she would find the nerve to tell the bard – the young woman that could instil courage and belief in her, and at the same time, make her weak with just one smile.

Gabrielle knew everything about her knew her bloody past and various lovers and still found it in herself to accept her, but she had married Perdicus. Xena wasn't a man. She couldn't give her friend everything that he could have offered if he were still alive. One of Xena's biggest regrets was holding her tongue and watching as her best friend had walked off with Perdicus and married him. It still burned her whenever she remembered the ceremony, and reminded her of what she had let go.

What if she did tell her? How would she take the news that her best friend was a sapphist, like Selena? Would it even make a difference? Would it repulse Gabrielle to know of her love and know she didn't reciprocate it? The fear of her confession being met with revulsion and dislike by her best friend was what kept her at bay and made sure her true feelings remained a secret. She wouldn't tell her if that was the case. If friendship was all that Gabrielle could offer, Xena would rather live her life tormented by her unrequited love than lose her forever.

She sighed and closed her eyes, hoping to drift off again when she felt something brush her face. When she looked, bright green eyes looked back at her. Startled, Gabrielle pulled her hand away from Xena's cheek and rested it under her face as an extra pillow again.

"Hey," she yawned.

"Hey," Xena whispered back. She swallowed, fighting the way her heart raced in her chest. _One day, Gabrielle. I'll tell you_, she thought sadly as the bard's mouth tilted up in a tired smile.

Gabrielle looked over at the window. She frowned and closed her eyes as sunlight pouring in blinded her. "Is it still morning, or have I slept in late again?"

Xena chuckled. "It's still early, don't worry. I don't have to forcibly wake you up again."

"I nearly fell out of bed yesterday because of you, y'know? I didn't realize until later when I gave it some thought." Gabrielle said. She grinned evilly. "I'll get you back for that."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Watch your back warrior princess," Gabrielle warned playfully. She prodded the warrior's upper arm and grinned at the faux-shocked expression she received in response.

Suddenly, Xena narrowed her eyes, revelling at the challenging look in the bard's gaze. "I'll be waiting."

Gabrielle's eyes widened at her words, and then narrowed. She didn't know what it was, but there was something in Xena's eyes that made her look different. Her words were playful, and yet her eyes looked almost sad. She wanted to reach out and comfort the warrior, but knowing what Xena was like with comfort and her qualms about it making her appear weak, Gabrielle opted to keeping her hands to herself.

It was sad that Xena was so reserved because, despite knowing the warrior's fears, Gabrielle liked touching her. With things how they were lately with their current mission to protect Selena, and after what had happened with Hope, Gabrielle found any excuse to touch her. Just knowing Xena would always be there calmed her and kept her anchored to the earth, but above all, she loved doing it just to experience the way her heart raced when she did.

She didn't know when her feelings had changed, when they had become more than friendship for her, but they had. Now she felt stuck between expressing herself and telling Xena about the love she felt in her heart, and staying quiet in fear that came with baring her soul. Would Xena even care, or would she turn her feelings down? She knew Xena would never try to hurt her on purpose and would let her down easily, but it would still hurt and their friendship would be forever changed by the revelation.

There had been a time where Gabrielle had felt in her heart that her love would be reciprocated and she would have told her. But then their run in with Perdicus had set it all back. She'd paused, waiting to see if Xena would say anything when he'd asked her to marry him, but when the warrior had stood by silently and let him profess his love for her, Gabrielle had assumed Xena saw her as nothing but a friend and accepted his love. It had dashed all the hopes she'd had, but she knew that if the warrior had nothing but her friendship to offer her, she wouldn't trade it for the world and would rather have that than nothing.

Xena didn't want to get out of bed; she wanted to stay under the covers and sleep the day away with her best friend beside her, but it seemed that fate had other plans. Just as she felt herself drifting into sleep again, screaming pierced the early morning, shattering the peace surrounding them. The sound of it made Xena's heart stop for a moment, as though a hand had clenched around it. She jumped out of bed immediately, grabbing her sword. Adrenaline coursed through her body as she fixed on her armour.

"Who was that?" Gabrielle asked as she too wrenched herself out of bed. She pulled on her boots and grabbed her staff.

"I don't know, but it's coming from outside."

Xena looked out of the window and saw people stood outside their doors, looking toward the courtyard in the middle of the town where the decorative pool was, just a little distance away from the temple of Aletheia resided. She couldn't see properly from where she was, but she was sure there was a body in the water.

With her stomach rolling with apprehension, Xena turned toward the door, not needing to look to know that Gabrielle was right behind her. They made their way through the tavern, following the mass of people that filed out before them, going in the same direction they were heading. Leandros was among them. He looked as though he'd been startled awake by the scream. He ran alongside them, holding his chest as he carefully moved with the crowd.

When they reached the pool, Xena pressed her mouth into a grim line.

Face down in the water was a body floating gently along the surface. The water surrounding the body was tinged red with blood. She didn't know the identity straight away, but she had a guess as to who it was from the familiar robe they wore. Her fears were confirmed when she stepped into the water and waded over. Ignoring the gasps and whispers of those that stood around the pool, Xena grabbed the body and turned it over.

"That's the high priest!" somebody shouted nearby.

"He's been murdered!" another shouted near tears.

Gabrielle stooped where she stood and squinted. Sure enough, in the warrior princess's arms was the aged body of Moris, the High Priest they had met in the temple. She had never liked him. Upon meeting him for the first time, Moris had struck her as a man stuck in his ways, unable to see anything past his nose if it didn't suit him or the temple. He had shown great dislike for Selena, her tavern and the way she lived and loved.

Though Gabrielle tried to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, she couldn't seem to feel that for Moris. The way he had spoken of sapphists had hurt her more than she let on; she couldn't understand how someone who preached love and truth could condone hatred, condemning a woman because she loved another woman. His ignorance had angered her beyond words and would have been happy if she'd never talked to him again.

But now, as she looked down at him, she could only feel pity and sadness as she felt the blood drained from her face. Her heart froze and her stomach rolled sickly when she looked at the state of him. No mortal, no matter what they did deserved what the man seemed to have suffered. Many spectators had to turn away and cried or threw up at the horrific sight. She counted herself lucky that she'd had no breakfast as she stared at the gaping cavity in his chest where his heart should be.

Gabrielle turned away, fearing she would faint, and locked eyes with Xena. The serious expression on her face shadowed her features and muted the brilliance of her eyes, making her look dead too. A silent agreement passed between them: whoever did this was a monster.

~X~

When Selena walked into the room, Xena and Gabrielle were already speaking with the healer. Dantorix had looked over Moris's body. It was already obvious to Xena what his cause of death was, but it was protocol to strike out any other causes to be absolutely sure.

They had taken the priest's body out of the pool, ignoring the watchful eyes of the people of the town and that of Juliette's people, who after hearing of the murder, had stayed clear to give them peace. Xena had seen Juliette, and after their talk the night before, decided that it would be better to keep them in their encampment in the woods.

After the discovering Moris's body, the people had become panicked and spouted off comments, placing blame on other townsfolk, Juliette's caravan, and Selena again after her history with the temple. There were too many suspicious claims flying about that keeping them separate would help keep preserve the peace between the people, and prevent a possible breakout of fights.

It had worked for the most part of the day. Though the death of the High Priest had shocked everyone, people were obeying the orders that Xena and the guard had set up to keep the peace. The captain of the guard, Krateros, had appointed his men to stand watch over the temple, and search for the weapon that could have caused the priest's death.

Krateros was a man of average height with cropped black hair and short beard, and though his face looked tense and intimidating, Xena found him to be softly spoken and calm. He had a constant crease between his brows, as though he frowned all the time, and his light brown eyes were filled not with hate or irritation as most of the captains she met in the past had. His seemed to belong to a man that had seen his fair share of horrors in his lifetime, yet still retained some sliver of hope. Much like Gabrielle had remained intact with her compassion, despite the heart-breaking pain she had suffered in the past few years.

He wore silver armour, like the rest of his guard, but unlike them, he wore a royal blue cape that was fixed to his armour by studs on each shoulder. His sword hung from his belt on his right, and a dagger was fixed to his belt on his left hip.

Xena had found out that he had heard of her and Gabrielle, and was thankful when they offered their help in trying to find the murderer. They had already spoken after Moris's death because Xena had been the one to report it. Now, after their talk, Krateros requested to speak with Selena.

When Selena walked into the main room, the room fell quiet and all eyes turned to her. Xena sympathised for her friend. She looked so tired and haggard. She had hoped that the mixture Juliette had been given would have worked to help her sleep, but Selena looked as though that hadn't been the case. If anything she looked as though she'd had no sleep at all. The dark semi circles under her eyes were a testament to that.

Her friend glanced around at the people staring back at her as she walked in meekly, nodding shyly at them until she approached Xena, Gabrielle and Captain Krateros. Xena touched her shoulder, offering a weak smile, knowing the questions that would come, but they knew they had to be asked to prove her innocence. She knew it too and smiled back, squeezing Xena's forearm grateful for her friend's support.

Once they were all together, Captain Krateros asked for them to go to the cells so they would have a more private place to talk about what had happened. Before she left, Selena placed Silas in charge. The man hadn't looked happy about it, or that she was going to be questioned, but he complied respectfully and served the customers as they approached. Silas was also asked to watch over Leandros, to make sure he stayed within the confines of the tavern until Xena and the rest returned. He protested, but when Xena glared at him, he wilted and sat heavily into the nearest chair, throwing a longing glance after them.

As they made their way to the cells, Xena, Gabrielle and the Captain moved to surround Selena. It was mostly for her protection. Xena couldn't help but feel protective of her. She reached back, holding the tired woman's hand in her own as they walked. The townsfolk that spotted her stood watching, their stares a mixture of hate, fear and suspicion.

The Captain, however, held no such look in his eyes, Xena noticed. Though he hadn't spoken to Selena much since her arrival at the town, he apparently knew of her history with its residents and what rumours surrounded her with Theodorus. He had been there with Dantorix to check whether Theodorus's death had been suspicious or otherwise. He had dropped Selena as a suspect when the healer had told him that he had died or natural causes, despite his age.

Xena watched as the Captain nodded to the guards posted at either side of stone archway leading to the cell. They stood to attention, pulling their spears to stand straight beside them. They kept their eyes forward as their party passed them. She didn't hear them relax back into their previous position until Krateros reached the studded metal door to the cells. He led them down long cold corridors made of stone. At every interval was an iron torch set alight, illuminating their path and the arched ceiling above them.

Gabrielle's breath hitched as they moved down the long corridor and she caught sight of some prisoners in their cells. They looked haggard and underfed; their clothes hung from their bodies like rags, and the smell that emanated from within and filled the corridors was the foul stench of urine, bile and sweat. It was disgusting. She opted to breathe through her mouth to prevent herself from gagging.

When the prisoners caught her eye, they smiled at her lecherously, showing their yellowed teeth as they followed her with their eyes. Gabrielle shivered, but she was adamant not to show fear in front of them. But, when their party moved too close to the bars, she screamed when one of them reached out and grabbed her arm. She pulled away desperately, struggling in his grip as he pulled her closer. The nearer he got the more she could smell him. His hot odorous breath on her face stung her eyes. She panicked until the man withdrew his hand quickly with a cry of pain when Xena lunged forward and punched him in the face.

"Gabrielle!" Xena said, pulling her into her arms. "Are you alright? He didn't hurt you did he?" She could feel the bard shake in her embrace – could hear the whimpers of fear that fell from her lips. She heard no answer from Gabrielle. Instead the young bard threaded her arms around the warrior and concentrated on steadying her breathing.

Burning with rage, Xena looked up to glare at the man, but found him already wilting under Selena's dark gaze. She watched, interested, as the man swallowed thickly, his eyes wide with fear as her friend stared him down. He backed up without looking from her eyes, his hand on his nose, and tripped over his empty chamber pot on the way.

She had to admit that she found his reaction strange, especially when she approached the bars to direct her coldest gaze upon him. The thin man whimpered and hid his face from both women, folding his body into a ball in the corner of the cell, as if to make himself invisible.

When she turned away, Xena saw a strange look pass across Selena's face – as though she hadn't realized she'd glared at the man. She smiled at Xena; taking care to ignore the blonde with her arm remaining wrapped around her, and re-joined the Captain who was replacing his sword back into his scabbard.

"Thanks, Xena. Good job you got there before I did, otherwise I would have sliced his hands off," he said. The sword made a _click_ sound as it slid perfectly back into place. "Although, I'd still do it if I was given the word."

"The thought crossed my mind too, Captain," Xena said coldly as she glanced down at Gabrielle. She brushed her fringe out of her eyes, whispering words of encouragement. Gabrielle nodded and let go, but stayed very close, never looking back.

Krateros glared at the man cowering in the corner and gestured for the women to follow him. "That's Brant. He was arrested for charges of murder, rape and kidnapping. Most of the prisoners in here are because of the same reasons, so I'd advise you all to try and stay a safe distance away from the cells. These animals have no conscience, and they won't think twice about attacking you given the chance." He paused and looked over at the prisoner he had called Brant and frowned. "Although, that's the first time I've seen him act that way. You two must have one icy glare."

Xena took one last look at the prisoner and saw him watching them from the bars again, his hands wrapped around them tightly, and his face pressed against them as if he could break through. When he saw Xena looking, he smiled menacingly and his laugh filled through the tunnels until the resounding bang of the Captain's room door being slammed shut drowned him out.

~X~

"And where were you last night?"

"I was in my tavern, in my room – sleeping."

"Do you have anyone that could confirm that?"

Xena held up her hand. "I checked on her before I went to sleep. She was in her room. I am also under the impression that the healer and Silas checked on her numerously during the night."

Krateros was scribbling something down on the parchment in front of him. At hearing about the check-ups from Dantorix and Silas, he looked up with interest. "Oh? Why were they checking on you?"

Selena wrung her hands together. "I haven't been feeling…myself, as of late, and after Theodorus's death, I was still in a state of shock over everything. They were just making sure that I was alright. I've also been having trouble sleeping, so they were making sure that the mixture I got from Juliette was working."

"Juliette is…?" the captain said, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

"She's a friend. She's actually one of the leaders of the caravan that arrived in town a couple of days ago," Selena added. "Juliette is the one that gave me the sleeping mixture when I told her about my difficulty sleeping."

"You mean your difficulty sleeping…because of all the stress, yes?" At her nod, the Captain scribbled something else down.

Selena sighed in frustration and rubbed her eyes.

They had been in the room not for almost a candle mark, going over every little detail about her whereabouts during the night and it was exhausting her. She has divulged information from before Theodorus's death, and though it hadn't made her look innocent, the ultimate cause of his death exonerated her from any charges. When she'd had to talk about her history with the High Priest, that hadn't made her look good either. Before their arrival to the town, Xena and Gabrielle hadn't known about the arguments she and Moris had regularly over what he had called her "_evil lifestyle choice_". She had defended herself, and one night after too many drinks, she'd smashed one of the stained glass windows at the back of the temple in anger.

"Yes," Selena said, stifling a yawn behind her hand.

"I will have to talk to this Juliette then, to see what she knows. Do you know if she had any connections to the High Priest?"

"Not that I knew of, no."

Right then, all eyes fell to the young guard clad in silver armour that entered the room. He made his way over to the Captain and held out a scroll. He left the room after being dismissed and Krateros read it.

After a few minutes the Captain lowered the scroll with troubled look on his face. "Hmm, well the healer has reported his findings on Moris's death. It seems that the heart had been quite literally ripped out, and with the amount of blood and the cuts found on his hands and arms, he was still alive when it happened." He paused, looking up with concern as Gabrielle made a noise of disbelief. She apologized and he carried on. "The chest seems to have been carved open by some kind of knife and by the preciseness of it; he's thinking that it was someone who is no stranger to using one. The chunk of skin that had been cut away was found on the steps leading up to the temple with a symbol carved into it. Are any of you familiar with this?"

All women sat forward, narrowing their eyes as the Captain held up the scroll. Xena felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up when she saw the symbol drawn onto the paper with charcoal. It was that of a hexagon with an apple in the middle of it. "I have seen that before, Captain. It's above the door leading into the temple."

"It was also carved into a marble statue in Theodorus's house, but it didn't look as though it was part of it," Gabrielle said quickly as though she'd just remembered. She looked at Xena, her eyes wide. "I just realized now and meant to tell you, but when we found his body I...I must have forgotten," she finished, cringing and doing her best to look apologetic.

Xena patted the bard's shoulders. "It's okay, I saw it too." She smiled when Gabrielle relaxed.

The Captain pushed his chair back and rose, moving to pace behind his long, oak desk with a thoughtful look upon his face and his hands clasped behind his back. "So, this symbol has not only shown itself now, but is also part of the temple where Moris worked and also showed up in Theodorus's house? That doesn't look too good from where I'm standing."

"No, it doesn't," Xena agreed. She rose from her seat too. "This symbol keeps popping up in places where people are getting hurt, and though the healer said that Theodorus dies of natural causes, I can't say that I agree."

Krateros paused in his pacing to look up. He arched a thick eyebrow. "Oh? You think Dantorix was wrong?"

"I'm not sure. There is something that strikes his death as odd to me." She walked forward, resting her hands on the table. "Think about it, Theodorus was young and healthy from my understanding. Why would he just drop dead all of a sudden one day? He wasn't sick as far as anyone knew, right?"

"Yes, but from your line of reasoning, Selena becomes a suspect again," Krateros replied, gesturing to the fiery haired woman sat in the chair before his desk. Selena looked up at her, her eyes wide with either shock or pleading, Xena couldn't decide.

Xena shook her hand. "I didn't mean that it could be her, but maybe his death could be connected to whoever committed this murder?"

Krateros scratched his beard thoughtfully. "I suppose you could be right. If Theodorus was indeed murdered, then whoever killed him could also be responsible for the murder of the high Priest. There is certainly enough evidence to suggest that it's more than a coincidence."

"It's not impossible," Gabrielle chimed in.

"Are there any other suspects?" Xena asked.

Looking at his parchment, the Captain read off a list of names he'd made. "Selena – though we're going through questioning you now, this Juliette, your man Leandros, Silas, other priests in the temp-"

"Leandros?" Gabrielle interjected unexpectedly. "How can he be a suspect? He was nowhere near the town in the time Theodorus died."

"Perhaps, but from what you've told me, he is a man who could kill at any time. You said he'd been sent to kill you, is that correct?" Krateros asked, waiting patiently for his answer.

Gabrielle fidgeted, looking very much like she wished she hadn't said anything. "Yes," she admitted.

"And he is a thief from part of an army? This _Darius_, you say, sent him, correct?"

"Yes…"

"Then he is a suspect. If he is here, I have no doubt that others may come to get him." The Captain looked down again. "It's possible that, on his way to you, he could have cut through the town and killed him. He could have broken into his house," he shrugged. "…anything is possible."

Xena thought back to last night when Leandros had come back with a cut along his chest. He had been adamant at first that he'd fallen on a dagger, but then changed his story along Xena's line of questioning. Adding the frequent changes in his story, and the fact that Xena had made sure that no weapons were on him made the thought of someone coming to him more plausible. Whoever had though had left their mark on him, indicating that it could be a warning from another of Darius's warriors. Or…his cut could have come from a struggle?

A struggle with the priest?

"What is it, Xena?" Selena asked, squeezing the warrior's hand.

Xena blinked and looked up to see Selena looking at her worriedly. She felt her squeezing her hand and pulled back awkwardly, aware that her best friend was staring at them. She thought she saw something flash in Gabrielle's green eyes, but it was so quick that she wasn't sure she'd seen it.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about Leandros."

"What about him?" The Captain asked.

"During the show last night, after his performance, he was gone for a little while, and when he came back he had a cut across his chest. He said that someone had attacked him and then ran off," Xena said.

"That's his story?" Krateros asked, bending to pick up his quill and write something.

"And he's sticking with it apparently."

"Well it sounds like I could do with talking to him next then…" the captain said.

But just as he was about to say something else, the door flew open, and the guard who had entered earlier all but fell over as he came back in. Flustered from his run, he stood for a moment, fighting to catch his breath.

"Sir…they've…man caught…" he gasped the words.

"Take a breath man and speak again," Krateros ordered.

The young guard bent over, leaning his hands on his knees until his breathing steadied. Once he seemed to be breathing normally again, he looked up, smiling. "They've caught the murderer, Sir! They've got him!"

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><p><em>Thank you so much for reading this chapter, and if you have any reviewscomments you would like to share, they will be appreciated and probably squealed over xD If you have any issues regarding my grammar, spelling or have any Con-crit, please don't hesitate to inform me in a PM :D Thanks again and stay tuned!_


	27. Disturbed

_**A/N**_: _Hey guys! Sorry for the late update, but I've been a little ill lately and haven't been able to eat, much less write. So, here is the next chapter...thankfully. Thanks for sticking with me during the story :) Happy Reading!_

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><p>When they arrived at the temple, Xena immediately spotted the crowd of people milling around the entrance. It was hard for her to miss them. People from the town jeered and shouted as they threw fruit and vegetables at the temple, waving their fists and shouting profanities. The guards situated at either side of the door constantly had to duck or lift their shields to protect their faces while they shouted back warnings, but the people refused to leave.<p>

There was an enigmatic air surrounding the crowd. Xena could almost feel the hate rolling off them like a wave crashing into her the closer she got, and as she broke through the crowd with her friends, she sensed there was something wrong, something more to what she was seeing.

She felt Gabrielle's hand grab hers, and when she turned to look, the bard pointed over to the door where the guards were busy protecting themselves. They watched as the guards reached for the handles and pulled the door open, revealing a group of soldiers in a square formation. Xena could tell from their stance that they were formed around someone – guarding, and as they started to descend the steps, she spotted a little brown head hiding within their protection.

Krateros passed her first and headed toward the temple, following behind his guards. The onslaught of rotten vegetables carried on, even in Krateros's presence. She watched as he tried to contain the crowd; he shouted at the crowd to cease their actions, but it was as if his words fell on deaf ears. It was as if they didn't care for his presence. They carried on while he spoke to the other soldiers to get an update on the situation

"What's going on here?" Xena muttered to herself, but she was heard.

"Their temple is sacred to them," Selena said quietly, coming up close enough to Xena that their shoulders brushed. She looked around warily at the people in the crowd and pulled her hood up over her head, hiding her face from them. "They don't like that one of their goddess's servants is being accused; much less that one has been murdered."

"People kill; anyone is capable given the motive." Xena looked between the gaps in the soldiers and saw the figure clad in a robe identical to that of the High Priest. She narrowed her eyes. "I want to find out what this person's motive was."

They broke from the crowd and followed the Captain to the soldiers. Once they were together, Krateros directed the men toward the cells. Along the way, they met waves upon waves of rotten food. Xena grew angry at the discovery of mouldy cabbage in her cleavage and threw it back at the crowd, not caring who it hit.

They constantly met the faces of angry people as they passed them. There had been one instant where the guard had moved protectively around all of them, because as they neared the cells, a man dressed in normal peasant clothes rushed the soldiers, screaming as he did. When he was close enough, the soldiers lifted their shields and knocked him back, sending him tumbling to the ground. While he was prone, one of the soldiers seized him by his collar and forced him to his knees.

"He didn't do it!" the man screamed, tears streaming from red-rimmed eyes. He fought against the soldiers holding his arms, but his efforts were in vain. He winced when they gripped him tighter, forcing his compliance. "He didn't do it! It wasn't him!"

"What are you talking about? This man was caught with the weapon that killed the High Priest," Krateros said. He nodded to the guards behind the man and they lifted him to his feet but didn't let go.

Gabrielle and Selena followed Xena as she pushed her way to the front and stood beside the captain. They watched as the man shook his head in defiance, making his curly brown hair bounce around his round face

Xena thought he looked rather young and too weak to fight against the soldiers holding him, but it didn't stop him from trying every now and then. "No, he would never kill!" she heard him shout, raising his voice as if he wanted everyone to know, not just the captain. "I _know_ him…I know he wouldn't do it. It's that _place_!" he spat with angry conviction, pointing back toward the temple. "It's all a lie! They poisoned his mind with lies! There's evil in there!"

Krateros raised an eyebrow. "You mean the temple of Aletheia? You're speaking of the goddess of truth, boy. Are you implying that your goddess is evil, or her servants?"

The boy gritted his teeth. "Aletheia isn't there! If she were, she wouldn't allow the evil that has befallen the town. It's as if death herself is sweeping through Dreyas. What goddess would twist the minds of her servants to kill each other? I'm telling you, my brother hasn't killed anyone! He wouldn't hurt a fly!"

Xena blinked, looking through the gap between the soldiers. She could see the form of a man clad in a purple robe as Moris had worn. Looking up at his face she could see he looked fairly young, but she could see a slight resemblance to the man before them, except the look in the robed man's eyes worried her. As he stared forward, his eyes were wide but unseeing, and he wasn't reacting at all to the pleas that the man claiming to be his brother was making. He just carried on staring forward as though he was in a daze.

She looked back at the boy. "He's your brother?"

The boy looked at her, frowning and puffed his chest out. "Yes, he is."

Xena gestured to the man guarded by the soldiers. "Then why does he not seem to know you?"

The boy seemed to lose him steam. His eyebrows knitted together in concern instead of anger as he looked to the soldiers. "Abantes?" he called. He struggled against the hands confining him. "Abantes, it's me, Cratinus! It's your brother!"

Xena watched for a sign of recognition out the corner of her eye, but the man, Abantes, never made a move. He didn't batter an eyelash as the young man carried on calling him. As Cratinus's cries started to become more desperate, Xena felt a hand on her arm. She recognised the concerned look on the blonde's face and understood the sympathy she had for him. They watched as Cratinus sank to his knees in the dirt, his tears falling over his burning cheeks.

"Why don't you answer me, Abantes?" he called, closing his eyes. "Why?"

Having seen enough, Krateros gestured for his soldiers to let the man go. As they did, Cratinus let his hands fall limply to his sides and simply sobbed.

Selena's heart broke at the sounds of the young man's cries. He looked no older that nineteen summers, but when he cried it made him look even younger – a child in her eyes. When the soldiers resumed their walk to the cells, Selena hung back to give comfort to the man. She kneeled by him, resting her hand gently on his back.

"Hey there…Cratinus, right?" she said, rubbing her hand across his back. "Don't cry."

"How can I not?" Cratinus glanced up at her through misty eyes. "They're going to kill him for something he hasn't done."

"No they won't. We're going to figure this out – we're going to find the truth," Selena said, aiming to instil the young man with comfort.

"I already know the truth. He didn't do it," Cratinus sobbed into his hands. "He isn't a murderer…"

Selena shrugged. "Maybe he did do it, and your bond as his brother is making you blind to what could be?" she said gently.

The man's sobs broke off, and when he looked up, Cratinus's face took on a look that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. His face was twisted in anger, his eyes burning with a rage that took her by surprise. His hand shot forward faster than she could blink, and grabbed her by the throat, cutting off her shocked cry.

"He didn't do it," he growled dangerously, "but demons like you don't care, do you? There is no truth anymore, only destruction and death. My brother is going to pay for something he hasn't done! Is that justice? Is that truth?" he asked, squeezing.

Selena was hardly listening anymore. All her energy was focused on clawing at the young man's deceptively strong grip around her neck. Every time she'd hooked a finger around his hand and attempted to pull away, his grip would tighten, cutting off more of her air.

"Please-" she coughed. Her blood filled her face and painful tingles washed over her skin. She thought her eyes would pop out of her sockets. Why was no one helping her? She managed to look and saw some of the townsfolk, saw what looked like smirks from a selection of those closest who seemed to recognize her.

Some stood and watched while others walked away, feigning blissful ignorance to her situation. "Damn…you all!" she choked out, pulling at the hand around her neck.

Hearing the sound of choking reach her ears, Xena turned quickly and found Selena being strangled on her knees by Cratinus. He looked enraged, his face taking on an almost demonic form as his hands worked to rob Selena of her life.

She ran over quickly and kicked the man's face, forcing him to release his chokehold on Selena. Once she was free, Selena crawled away holding a hand tentatively around her neck, glaring at the man. Xena, however, made straight for Cratinus. Her blood boiled as she reached down and grabbed the young man by his collar and forced him up, punched his jaw and knocked him down again. She didn't know what had caused him to turn on her friend, but right now, she didn't care. All she wanted to do was hurt him for daring to lay a hand on her.

She lowered, crouching over the boy and pulled him up to her so she could hit him with her other hand. While she punched him over and over, she felt something shift; like a mist passed over her, and it pressed against her face and skin. It invaded her senses, making her temporarily deaf to everything around her except the sound of her knuckles smashing into the young man's face.

_Yes…_a dark voice urged her on with deliciously evil intent.

It chuckled darkly at the back of her mind, encouraging her and she found herself smiling at its praise. Suddenly, the sound of hthe young boy's bones crunching under the impact of her fist became the most pleasant sound to her ears and she revelled in it.

Gabrielle threw down her staff at the sight and rushed to Xena's side, grabbing the warrior's wrist before she could strike again. She pulled, wrenching her away from Cratinus as Xena made to throw another punch.

Looking over at the man, she doubted he could feel anything anymore; he was already unconscious, his head hung back even after Xena had continued her rain of punishment.

When Xena lifted her head, she growled. Gabrielle gasped, seeing the fierce look in her best friend's eyes. She saw Xena's eyes had clouded over, making her feel as though she was looking at a stranger. She swallowed, ignoring the way the warrior glared at her with her teeth clenched together.

The bard carefully reached out, touching Xena's shoulder as though she was afraid she might explode. "Xena?" Gabrielle whispered. She brushed Xena's cheek with her fingertips. "Xena, snap out of it."

Xena blinked. The sound of her name broke her out of the haze that had overtaken her. All at once, the hate she had felt began to trickle away. A weight lifted from her chest and she found she could breathe again. What had happened to her? One moment she was fine, heading toward the boy to stop his attack, and then it was as if something had switched on inside her and she'd flipped.

She looked down at the boy still held, his shirt balled in her clenched fist. She gasped when she saw the state he was in and lowered him to the ground carefully. "What…what happened?" she whispered.

She felt a cool hand cup her cheek and she looked up, meeting worried bright green eyes. "Xena?" Gabrielle repeated, unsure.

The warrior princess nodded, taking a deep breath. "It's okay, I'm here."

Gabrielle sighed with relief. "Are you okay?"

She took Xena's hand and inspected it, cringing slightly as she noticed the spots of blood on the knuckles. She knew though that it wasn't Xena's. It belonged to the man she'd beaten within an inch of his life. Hearing footsteps around them, Gabrielle looked up and watched as a few soldiers collected Cratinus's unconscious form and dragged him away.

As Xena and Gabrielle rose to their feet, Krateros loped over; an angry and confused look on his face. "What in Zeus's name happened?"

"I'm not sure…I," Xena shook her head to get rid of the lingering mist that filled her mind. "I caught him attacking Selena, and-" She broke off then, looking around immediately. When she found her, Selena was stood a little distance away, cupping her sensitive neck with her hand, looking at the ground.

"Xena, I'm fine. It was more shock than anything," Selena said as she noticed the warrior princess approached her, a mix of anger and concern on her face. She tried to brush Xena's hands away, but she was having none of it. She held both of Selena's in one while she used her free hand to lift Selena's chin, tilting her head to one side.

"There's a red mark around your neck, and early signs of bruising, but it doesn't look like he did any real damage…thankfully," Xena added sombrely as she let go.

Selena smiled sadly, lifting her hand to touch Xena's cheek. "He could have done a lot worse if you hadn't been there, Xena. Don't worry about me, okay?"

Gabrielle looked away, feeling as though she was intruding on a personal moment. She wandered off to find her staff so she wouldn't have to look, but once she'd retrieved it, she kept her back turned, swallowing the jealousy she felt rising in her chest. She knew Xena had done what she would have done to save a friend, but seeing her so close to another made her feel unsteady. When Xena had mentioned being selfish and using Selena in the past for whatever she wanted, she couldn't help but wonder if that meant in _every way_. She couldn't blame them. Both of them are beautiful. With the way Xena used to be, she could see them as a couple.

But now?

Gabrielle shook her head, tightening her grip on her staff. She didn't want to. She listened out for the familiar sound of Xena's tread and turned when she felt the air around her shift, felt her presence. Looking up, she saw Xena's blue eyes staring back at her, unsure and concerned.

"Gabrielle?" Xena started. "I'm…I'm sorry I lost it like that," she said.

"It's okay, Xena. He was trying to hurt your friend. I would have done the same in your position if he had hurt you like that. I would do anything as long as it kept you safe." Gabrielle smiled to try and ease the look of doubt in her friend's eyes. With a chuckle she lightly punched Xena's arm. "But, I wouldn't have to do that, would I? You can handle yourself."

The corner of Xena's mouth twitched into a crooked smile. She reached out and touched Gabrielle's shoulder. "Maybe so, but you saved his life back there."

"What do you mean?"

Xena's expression grew dark. She looked down, remembering the dark feeling that had pressed against her, and the voice she'd heard. She shuddered, remembering how it had encouraged her rage and for a scary moment, she'd liked it. When she looked back up, she saw Gabrielle's eyebrows drawn together with concern and her stomach churned, knowing she was the reason the bard looked that way.

After looking around them and saw no one looking, Xena lowered her mouth to Gabrielle's ear, her hand on her shoulder. "I'll tell you later," she whispered. "C'mon, let's catch up to the captain. It looks like he didn't want to wait around. Coming Selena?" she called over to her friend.

Glaring at those that still sneered at her, Selena nodded. She smiled at Xena and moved to follow her. "Definitely."

~X~

"Abantes?" Krateros said again.

Xena watched as the captain walked around the front of the man. He knelt before him, his chunky armour restricting his movements, and looked up at Abantes.

Something about this whole situation was wrong, she could feel it. They had been taking turns in questioning the young man and he hadn't uttered a single word to either of them. When Xena had asked him her questions, he had stared straight through her as though she wasn't there, or he couldn't see her. The faraway look in his eyes unsettled her. It's like he no longer held any conscious thought anymore, like Abantes wasn't there anymore and all they saw now was a shell of the man he used to be.

She had tried numerous times to get some kind of a response out of him, but no matter how much she tried, he didn't react. She considered putting the pinch on him, but the reason they were questioning him was to see if he was guilty. Putting the pinch on him would've been like stabbing an innocent man, plus she knew Gabrielle wouldn't approve, and after what had happened earlier with Cratinus, Xena didn't want any more cause to scare or concern Gabrielle again.

The look that had appeared on the bard's face when the darkness had overtaken Xena scared her; she didn't want to put that look there again.

She looked over her shoulder and saw Gabrielle and Selena stood at the back of the room, keeping a distance so they wouldn't interfere with the interrogation. When Gabrielle noticed her looking, she smiled back at the warrior; a tired, concerned smile that Xena understood. They were both tired. They had been in the cells for most of the day and they hadn't gotten anywhere.

"Abantes, did you kill the high priest? Moris?"

Xena watched carefully for any flicker of recognition to the name, but he barely blinked. He was sat up in a wooden chair facing the back wall, body slightly slumped and his head hung forward, his empty eyes staring unseeingly. In his state Xena would almost say he was dead himself.

Krateros moved to take the bloody knife from the guard from where he stood nearby, watching over the situation. He carefully handed his captain the knife and stepped back. Turning back, Krateros looked over the blade for a long time before showing it to the young man, presented lying across his open palms.

"This was used to kill Moris, the high priest," the captain said, showing the weapon to the young man. The priest's blood still remained on the blade, thick and dried and coated the handle. "You were found holding the knife, Abantes…you."

When Abantes stayed still, the silence stretching on until Xena could hear her own heavy breathing, Krateros sighed and passed the knife back to the guard then moved to crouch in front of the suspect. Xena saw his face take on a kind of softness; the look he gave Abantes was one filled with sadness and pity. As she'd watched him calmly try and draw answers from him, Xena found herself liking this captain more and more. He didn't look down at the young man, nor did he seem to judge him. Instead he asked calmly with a neutral tone that craved understanding, rather than the accusing hate that she'd seen from most jailers or captains on the suspects.

"What happened when he was found? What did he do?" Xena asked Krateros.

"Nothing. One of the soldiers made a sweep of the temple to look for the murder weapon. He found it in his hands," he said pointing to Abantes, "with blood all over the knife, his hands and all over his clothes. He didn't fight back or try and get away. It's like he just let him pick him up or he gave up."

After staring at the man for a moment, Xena gestured for the captain to approach her. "It doesn't make sense," she said when they were far enough away so Abantes couldn't hear.

"What do you mean?"

Xena could tell Gabrielle and Selena were listening. "If he was a murderer, if he'd done this before, it shouldn't affect him like this. I've seen killers; I've seen what killing does to them afterwards. They feel no remorse or there's a sense of accomplishment." She looked at Abantes; saw him sitting eerily quiet and unresponsive and narrowed her eyes. "The way Moris was killed was horrific and violent. If Abantes was capable of doing something like that, he wouldn't look or be acting like that. He looks traumatized – like the priest's death has surprised and shocked him."

Krateros nodded in understanding, but his furrowed brow revealed his uncertainty. His gaze flickered to Abantes and back. "Maybe he _is_ capable of such things? We do not know what goes on in the mind of a killer."

"Maybe not…but I'm not convinced."

The captain rested a hand on her shoulder. "Look at it this way, Xena. The evidence is mounted against this man, he has no alibi, and he has ties to the high priest. He is one of Moris's closest assistants and understudy. In the event of Moris's death, Abantes would be next in line to care for the temple." Krateros shook his head. "It doesn't look good for him, Xena."

Xena frowned when something the captain had said struck her. "If he was his understudy, why would he kill the high priest? It's against what they believe, and murder in the eyes of their goddess would condemn him, turn away from him. Why would he risk that?"

Krateros shrugged. "I don't know."

Xena sighed and rubbed her temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache come on. None of this was making sense, and the more she thought about it, the more it hurt her head. It was as if every time she made sense of something, something would reach into her mid and jumble up all the facts, making it harder for her to think straight and sort it all out.

Feeling a pat on her shoulder, Xena opened her eyes. Her own met Krateros's concerned brown ones. "Get some rest, relax. I have everything under control here. It doesn't look like he's going to give us anything, but until we find another possible culprit, Abantes is the murderer. Everything points to him, Xena, you can't deny that."

Xena nodded. "I understand." She paused for a moment as she watched the captain walk away. "Wait! What happened to Cratinus? His brother?"

"After what he did, the brother will be held in a cell overnight. His attack was most likely out of blind anger and irrational thought. He will need medical treatment after…well; he has a few cuts and bruises, not to mention a cracked jaw that you gave him. After that though, if Selena says it's okay, he will be let go."

Upon being addressed, Selena stood straight and nodded sharply once, lifting her hand unconsciously to cup her neck. Even in the restricted light, Xena could see the darkened marks on her skin. Remembering the brother's hand around her neck she felt her blood begin to boil.

"Xena?"

Hearing her name, the warrior turned back to the captain. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said when the guard found him, Abantes was muttering senselessly to himself. He said something," Krateros said.

This made her pause. She'd looked up at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue. "Yes…?"

Krateros frowned. "The guard mentioned that Abantes said…'Goddess'."

Xena didn't know what to make of that. If she thought along the lines of a deity being responsible for the death of Moris, then that would point to the goddess whom the temple belonged to, but, even though she had never met this _Aletheia_, Xena didn't think that the goddess would kill her own servant, or at all. She was the goddess of truth, she couldn't kill her own. The gods Xena had experience with never killed their own, except perhaps Ares; she'd seen him zap and beat those that did his bidding, but she wasn't entirely sure if he'd kill them, especially if he needed them, but she wouldn't put it past him.

Back at the tavern, Gabrielle and Selena remained quiet, not wanting to distract Xena while she thought. Xena had to admit it; it didn't look good at all for Abantes. He was found with the murder weapon, covered in the blood of the high priest and had muttered crazy nothings to himself. He himself looked crazed, but there was something about the whole thing that left an unsettling feeling in Xena stomach, and that something constantly eluded her, leaving her lost. She felt like she was missing something plain and obvious…and she didn't like it.

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><p><em>Thanks for reading this chapter, I really appreciate it. Usual disclaimers apply. Drop me a review to tell me what you guys think, and stay tuned for the next chapter :D<em>


	28. Comfortable

"Why is it that whenever I see you, you look as though you carry the burden of Atlas?"

Leandros frowned and straightened into a standing position.

He'd been leaning against one of the trees at the edge of town, separating them from the caravan. He'd wanted to get away, to think things over and see where he stood after everything that had happened, but every time he did, he'd just get a headache. He no longer knew what to do. His head told him to follow Ivan's orders, and so did the scar that served as a reminder of what would happen if he didn't, but his heart told him another story.

Leandros wasn't a violent man, he never had been. He had joined with Darius out of obligation to his brother. Darius was his only remaining family, and their mother had made each of them promise to look out for each other, to stay together. But with the route their life had taken, and with what Darius now chose to do as a lifestyle, Leandros felt he could no longer stay quiet, submissive and follow along anymore. He wished for better things for his brother, not murdering and stealing.

Every time Leandros saw his brother act that way, it tore a part of his soul away and made his heart heavy with sadness. To see his only brother fall so far out of hate and rage made him want to cry, but his conditioning refused to let him. Instead, he suffered his brother's loss as though it was his own and bore the scars for him, so Darius wouldn't have to.

In the past, Leandros had thought many times of running away from his brother's army, to start a life of his own and persuade his brother to do the same. He thought they could escape the warlord lifestyle they'd built. But life had a cruel way of turning everything around back on them. At even the slightest indication that either of them wanting to leave, to abandon the army, Darius's own men would stand against them and remind them of their cause. Every man in their army seemed to have some kind of personal vendetta against the old Xena and wanted to see her dead. They saw Darius's army as a way of fulfilling their revenge.

The more Leandros stood back to look at it, he knew, over time, the brothers had gotten in over their own heads and may have sealed their own fates with the army. They were safe from their men as long as they showed they wanted Xena dead, but on the other hand, Xena could kill them if they carried on against her.

There was no way out.

Leandros had spent much of the past few days thinking about their predicament and realized that he'd finally been given the time to think. Before, whilst at camp, he would suffer constant beatings from the men as being the weakest, either for entertainment or boredom. Now however, he had been given the freedom to think and be himself, and to get to know the warrior princess away from the accusations and opinions of the evil, angry men.

He smiled.

He knew that Xena was smart, he had known that as a child and from the rumours about her guile, but he didn't know just how smart. It seemed he had underestimated her. She was a lot smarted than he had given her credit for, and she deserved more.

During his time in the town as her captive, she had kept watch over him at all times, but had pretty much given him freedom to go wherever and to talk to whoever he wanted. He hadn't known why. He had thought that it had been some sort of grand scheme to figure out what he was doing there, or to get him to spill secrets about Darius and his army, but she hadn't pushed at all. Instead she had treated that part of him with a kind of indifference, like it hardly mattered to her. He had come to realize, however, that she had known all along what he knew.

He wasn't a killer.

That had to be it. She had taken his sword, but why else would she "trust" him to be around others, why would she talk to him as though he was one of her friends? He had tried to make himself fierce, to show his worth as a warrior and fighter, but every time he did, he would be outshone by Xena and her companions. They were right about him. Even the children weren't scared of him. Though, if he was being honest with himself, he hadn't tried to scare them. He didn't want to hurt or frighten them for the sake of his own reputation, or lack thereof as a warrior.

He remembered something Gabrielle had said to him. 'Looking the part means nothing if you can't step up to it.' At the time, he had been angry that she had accused him of being anything else but a warrior, but Gabrielle was smart and had seen straight through his ploy. He wasn't a fighter. Rather a boy playing dress up, pretending to be something he wasn't, but wanted to become.

Leandros had always wanted to be a warrior so he could protect those he loved. He wished he had been one when he was younger. If he had, he just knew in his heart that he could have saved his mother. His father had thrown her out of their family home after discovering her secret, and during the time, her weak body hadn't been able to fend itself against the violent weather.

He could still remember his mother's cries as she'd begged to be let back in the house. They haunted his dreams, echoed in his ears while he was awake, blaming him for not stepping up to his father. If he had been able, he would have raised a sword to protect her. But he hadn't, and that would haunt him for the rest of his life. The only thing he could do was train to become a warrior, but now he was on the wrong side, and he didn't know what to do.

Hearing the voice behind him, he turned to meet a pair of familiar brown eyes that watched him carefully.

Juliette was stood, clothes in an ordinary dress and boots, and her customary smile. He felt his heart skip for a moment as he looked her over. She looked so different, at least different to what she usually did. He had become so used to seeing her wear attire that she and her caravan had come to acquire during their travels that seeing her in something normal was a surprise. The foreign items of clothing had become somewhat of a usual sight to him, but upon seeing her wear what every other woman in the town chose to wear, it made something close to desire stir within him. Juliette's platinum blonde hair was still wound into a thick plaid and hung over her shoulder, but it looked somewhat shorter to him.

"Excuse me?" he said, noticing rather embarrassingly that his voice cracked from misuse.

Juliette gestured to him and stepped forward. "You look as though you carry Atlas's burden, like the world is on your shoulders."

Leandros leaned his shoulder against the tree trunk again, looking over at the tavern. He'd seen Xena, Gabrielle and Selena walk into the building and had thought about going in with them, but decided some alone time to think would be more suitable, both for him and them. After thinking over his situation with them, Darius and Ivan, he no longer knew where he stood or what he was supposed to do anymore. He didn't want to be in their way.

"I suppose you could say that," he said quietly. "It feels like it sometimes."

"It would help lighten the weight on your heart if you shared it."

Looking down at the young woman who looked no older than him, Leandros found himself wondering why she would even want to help. If she knew his truth, where he was from or who his brother was, she wouldn't think to continue being so kind toward him as she had since their first meeting.

He looked away again. "I don't think I can, Juliette, I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I understand that sometimes, our pain is our own and cannot be shared, as are the scars we bear from our past," Juliette said softly as she moved past him.

He watched the woman as she moved to rest her forearms on the fencing where the trees stopped, and continued the job of separating the woods from the town. As she leaned her weight on it, and her braid fell from her shoulder and down her back, exposing the skin. A small area of skin on her shoulder blade looked raised, like she had taken a branding iron to her body and it had burned a disfiguring mark onto her skin, forever scarring her.

As if feeling his gaze, Juliette looked over her shoulder at him. She caught his eyes and he blushed, looking away to the sky, the trees, anywhere that wasn't her body.

"It's okay, Leandros. I'm not ashamed of my scar," she said reassuringly.

Leandros swallowed and rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I didn't mean to look at it. I mean, not that it's…um. What I mean is…" he mumbled incoherently.

Juliette smiled and held out her hand to him. "Come stand with me." When he took her hand and moved to stand next to her, Juliette smiled out at the town. "Like I said, our scars are our own, and each has a story behind it."

As he watched her, Leandros couldn't help but notice that every so often, he caught his eyes flicking to the scar he knew was on the side of her body furthest from him, and wondered what the story was behind her scar. He knew she knew that he kept looking, but he couldn't help it. It was like the day he had seen the bloodbath of his home village; the injured had laid there in pain, limbs cut from their bodies, or the innards ripped from them and thrown by the murderous soldiers. That's what her scar was like to him; he couldn't look away from it.

He knew he was being rude. He had seen scars before, many made by the work of a branding iron; a handful of the men that had joined Darius's army had the word 'FVG' burned into their skin across their forehead, the mark that the romans had branded with and proclaimed them as fugitives. But Juliette's scar looked strange and familiar; he couldn't place where he'd seen it before.

"You want to ask, don't you?"

Leandros blinked. "Huh?"

She turned to look at him and smiled. "My scar, you want to ask about it, don't you?"

"It's none of my business," Leandros said, turning away to look out at the town.

It was mid-afternoon, the sun still hung like a blazing orb in the sky, but the clouds that filled the air hid it from view. The only evidence that proved that the sun was still out was the golden outline of the sun through the clouds, and the streaks of orange that across licked the sky like fire. There was enough light that it bathed the town in gold, highlighting the fields of wheat behind. As the wind caught the stalks and coaxed them into a gentle dance, the fields took on a shimmering effect, making it look as though there was a golden sea surrounding the town.

Despite the darkness that seemed to have befallen the quaint little town, hidden from the rest of the world in the strange little nook of the woods, when the day was quiet as it was when there was nobody out, Leandros could almost pretend that he was at home, back in his small home village helping his mother and brother during a simpler time. His soul craved for his life to return to its former calmness, before Xena and her army had visited, and definitely before his mother had died. He knew he wasn't meant to be here, not meant to be the ruthless man Darius and Ivan had tried countless years to turn him into.

"Juliette?"

"Mmm?"

"Do you think that…even when you've done something bad…you can change? I mean, even if you've followed a certain path for a long time, can you still choose to follow another?"

Juliette raised an eyebrow. "I can't really give much advice on this line of questioning; I have made my peace with the path I am on and have followed it for years. Perhaps Xena would be able to be more enlightening, and give you the answers you seek? She has changed her path and used to follow another, a darker one."

Leandros nodded, realizing the truth in her words. She was right. He would be better off asking Xena. She had once been a warlord, she had killed and fought, but had changed her path and walked the one of justice and redemption, working to protect the innocent and helpless. She would be able to help him.

Ivan be damned, the path that Darius was walking down was not the same one that he wanted to walk anymore. He loved him, they were brothers, but he knew that if he carried on following the same path as him, he would soon find himself on the point of a sword, dead.

Leandros picked at the fence, pulling shavings of wood away where the fence hadn't been sanded down properly. "Can I tell you a secret, Juliette? One that I haven't told anyone else?"

He knew he'd caught the woman's attention. He felt something in her awaken and she turned to him, her eyes wide and expectant. "Sure, Leandros. You can tell me anything."

Leandros bit his lip. He didn't know why his heart was racing like a chariot bounding down a road at what felt like twenty horses per hour. He felt the blood rush to his face and turned away, feeling embarrassed by what he was going to say. "I, um, I'm a warrior, Juliette,"

"I know that," he heard Juliette say. "But you're a good man. I can feel it."

"I have…never _killed_ before…" he trailed off quietly.

Realizing Juliette was silent, Leandros turned to look at her and saw a strange expression on her face. It was one he had not seen on a woman before. At least, not directed at him at least. It was a look that resembled almost pride or adoration, and it made his heart quicken again.

"I know that, too, Leandros," she said after a moment, just as quiet.

That shocked him. "What do you mean you know? I have never told anyone!"

Juliette surprised him again by reaching up to rest her hand on his cheek and smiled brightly. "Being a warrior is not about killing, but about fighting for what you believe in. I sense your heart carries burdens, but none of them are of any death you have caused. You aren't a killer, Leandros. I knew that about you the moment I saw you."

"You did?"

"Yes. When you kill, it changes something inside you. It is taking a life, and in essence, it is like part of yourself is stripped away with the life you have taken."

"I can't but notice you seem to speak as though from experience, Juliette," Leandros noted carefully, unsure of how to address that.

Juliette took her hand back, faced her eyes to the floor for a moment before she looked out at the town once again. "It was complicated, and does nothing but remind me of the hurt involved. Granted, it was in self-defence, but the act still left its mark on me."

"Even if it was self-defence?"

"Yes. It doesn't matter whether it was planned or to protect yourself, you are taking another's life." She smiled at Leandros gently. "Being a warrior does not mean you have to kill, but to be prepared to fight, and knowing when the need to kill to protect yourself, outweighs the want."

Leandros snorted, leaning on his crossed arms on the fence. He shook his head. "I'm not a warrior, I'm barely a brother. I don't know what, or who I am anymore."

Juliette lifted a hand to stroke his cheek. The touch surprised him and he looked at her, his eyes wide. "You are a man, Leandros. Allow yourself to be one and stop trying to live up to what others want."

The hand felt smooth and warm against his skin, the touch eliciting the familiar feeling he had normally felt when he caught himself thinking of Gabrielle. Though he liked the colour of the bard's green eyes, he found Juliette's brown ones held something that hers did not, and they seemed to beckon to him quietly with a small voice the more he stared at them.

"You have asked me a question; may I ask one in return?" Juliette asked.

Leandros nodded once. "Of course."

Pulling her hand away, Juliette looked out at the town, her eyebrows drawn together in deep thought. "Would you say it is wrong to direct someone you love towards someone else you know _they_ love, even with the knowledge that it will end in heartbreak, but your eventual happiness?" Juliette asked cryptically.

Leandros stared at the woman for a long time, noting the strange faraway look in her eyes. She seemed to have made up her mind over her question already, yet, still waited for whatever answer he may have for her. He had noticed that she had looked sad when she had asked the question but couldn't understand why. That was until, in all his slowness, that the question was probably personal, and that she might be talking about someone that loved her.

"I don't think I know the answer to that question, but I do know that you can't play with love." Leandros released a sigh, thinking of Gabrielle. "It hits you when you least expect it, _definitely_ when you don't expect it, but I would say that you should listen with your heart when it speaks."

Juliette chuckled. "You sound like a poet."

Leandros stood tall and puffed out his chest, clearing his throat. "A poet? Don't be ridiculous, I can barely write. Besides, men don't write poetry, it's emasculating."

"Nonsense, I find it endearing."

Despite himself, Leandros found a smile creeping onto his face, a smile Juliette shared. He exhaled, resting once against the fence. "I feel comfortable with you, Juliette. It's silly isn't it, how we can talk to strangers about things and feel safe, yet when faced with someone you know, talking can seem more of a chore or even scary?"

When Juliette didn't answer he looked over at her and found her staring at him. There was a strange look in her eyes that he couldn't decipher, and when he was about to ask what was wrong, Juliette spoke.

"Would you like to join my people tonight?"

"For what?"

Fidgeting where she stood, a gesture he had not seen the woman ever do, Juliette smiled nervously up at him. "Well, it's the second night of the festival tonight; I thought you might want to join us. You played wonderfully last night, but perhaps you would like to be on the other side, with you enjoying the music this time?"

Nodding, Leandros stood straight. "I would love that."

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><p><em>Thank you for reading this chapter. Usual disclaimers apply.<em>


	29. Touched

Gabrielle could feel the tension in her friend's shoulders. The warrior's muscles were hard and rigid, but soon yielded under her touch. Xena had been quiet since coming back from the cells with her and Selena. When they had returned to the tavern, Xena had offered a cold compress to Selena, telling her to put it on the mark around her neck, but hadn't left her side until Selena had ushered away, seemingly tired of the warrior's overprotectiveness.

The sad look that had appeared on Xena's face when she'd nodded and walked away had been familiar and painful, a reminder of all the times she had seen it when Xena had thought she'd let down Gabrielle, or failed her whenever a dark part of her past came back to haunt them. Over the years, Gabrielle had seen it too many times and it never got better for either of them, but they did their best to stand up to it and move on. But this time, Gabrielle knew her friend was taking everything on to her shoulders when she should be sharing the load.

Talking usually helped, and it was what Gabrielle did best.

She pressed her fingers harder into Xena's shoulder, prompting a moan of pleasure from the warrior when she felt the muscles relax under her movements.

"A little better?" she smiled, knowing what the answer would be before the warrior answered.

"A little," Xena sighed, nodding to herself. "Yeah,"

"You're still thinking about earlier, aren't you?" Gabrielle guessed.

Xena was quiet for a moment, concentrating on the skilled fingers working out the tension in her shoulders. She loved it when Gabrielle offered to give her a massage because, next to talking or fighting with her staff, Gabrielle seemed to be extremely skilled at it. The massages usually forced some of Xena's more embarrassing noises from her control, but it was worth it for the end result.

She closed her eyes, moving along with her touch. "I…I'm sorry, Gabrielle."

"For what?"

"Growling at you. I didn't mean it – I don't know what came over me."

"I understand, Xena. You weren't yourself, it's okay."

Xena reached up, grabbing the bard's hand and turned her head to look up at her friend, her eyes sad and repentant. "No, it's not okay, Gabrielle. I wasn't myself at all…I could have hurt-," she sighed and looked away. "I could have hurt you."

"Even if you had, Xena, I knew you wouldn't have meant it, but you didn't, so don't beat yourself up. I know you," she said, giving Xena's shoulder a firm squeeze. Before Xena could argue and torment herself over it, Gabrielle rushed on ahead. "What happened, Xena? Earlier, when you had that boy…there was a look in your eye."

Xena closed her eyes again, remembering herself kneeling over the boy, beating him to a pulp. She hadn't wanted to hurt him as badly as she had. She had only wanted to get him off of her friend and let the guards take him. But, the voice she had heard in her head, the evil voice that had cajoled her to kill him had been too hard to resist. It had seduced her dark side, appealing to her by dragging up the old, almost primal urges she'd revelled in when she had been the Destroyer of Nations.

Just remembering how she had once again rejoiced in feeling those old feelings again made her feel ashamed. She felt as though she had failed: failed Selena because she had let her guard down, leaving her open to Cratinus's attack, failed because she had let herself fall into the darkness, but worst of all, failed Gabrielle because she had and turned on her, bringing about a look of fear in her young friend's eyes, if only for a second. A look she had promised herself never to be the cause of again.

She cleared her throat and sniffed, pushing back the tears she felt prickling her eyes. "I don't know what happened, Gabrielle. It was like one moment, I was forcing him away from her, trying to protect Selena from any further harm, and then something…_snapped_. If you hadn't have stopped me, I think I might have killed him, Gabrielle." She paused for a moment, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I felt something, like part of me awakened. I became evil again," she finished remorsefully.

Gabrielle frowned and leaned forward to wrap her arms around Xena, squeezing tightly.

She rested her chin on her shoulder, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You are not evil, Xena, okay? You're not. That part of your life is dead and buried. You are who you are _now_. You saved Selena from that boy, where the old Xena wouldn't have bothered. You did what you had to do to stop him from hurting her anymore." She frowned for a moment, remembering something. "I saw the look on his face, Xena. He wasn't right, did you notice?"

For a moment Xena couldn't breathe. Instead, she was focusing on the feel of Gabrielle's body pressed against her back, and the spark of desire that rushed under her skin when Gabrielle's hand brushed against the exposed skin of her chest. When she forced herself to think, she remembered the look Gabrielle mentioned.

She hadn't noticed at the time, but when the thought back to when she had punched him, the boy had looked at her with a most hateful look, like he despised her more than anything in the Known World. She hadn't seen fear when she'd fought him for Selena, nor had he backed down. Something had flickered in his eyes, a flash of silver, which made her think that she may have been looking at someone else, and not the boy she'd watched drop to his knees, pleading for his brother's life just moments before.

"Yeah, I noticed," Xena answered softly. "Nothing feels right here, it's all too strange. There's no connection between Moris and Abantes, except them being high priest and understudy, then there's Abantes himself. He hadn't looked like a killer, at least not one that would go out and murder Moris the way he had been killed. Monsters do that."

"His brother had mentioned that Abantes had never hurt anyone, that he wouldn't hurt a fly," Gabrielle agreed.

"And I believe him. I don't know what it is, but my gut is telling me there is more going on that meets the eye, Gabrielle. Something dark."

The bard moved around so that she could see Xena's face. The warrior looked pensive and stared at the floorboards beneath her feet, but by the look in her eyes, Gabrielle knew she wasn't seeing them. Xena was seeing images and putting things together, working out what she knew already the way she always did.

Knowing that Xena was usually right when she followed her gut feeling, Gabrielle didn't disregard anything she said and asked, "What do you think it is?"

Xena balled her hand into a fist. "I don't know. It could be a god…I felt something, like an influence pressing on me earlier," Xena said, making deep lines between her eyebrows as she frowned, remembering the darkness and violence. "It could be, but I don't know which one would do this. This doesn't seem to be Ares's style; subtlety isn't his thing, and I can smell him from a mile away," she sneered. "And I doubt it would be Strife. It isn't random, or at least it doesn't feel random to me. It's more like its targeting people, using them."

"Targeting who?"

Xena clenched her teeth together, feeling frustration strike her like fire. "I don't know!" she repeated.

Gabrielle's brows drew together in concern when she watched the warrior drop her face into her hands. She knew Xena's frustration wasn't aimed at her, nor was her anger, so when she reached out to her companion she knew she wouldn't shake her off. "Xena?"

"I hate feeling so useless, Gabrielle," Xena admitted sadly. "I normally have inklings, a line of thought and suspects, but I have nothing. My friend is still in danger, people are turning up dead, and Darius is still after us."

After a long pause, the bard nudged the warrior gently. "Just another day in the life, huh?" Gabrielle attempted humour.

At first she wasn't sure if it was appropriate, or that her best friend would appreciate the humour in what felt like such a dark time for them, but when Xena moved her face to look up at her and saw the beginnings of a smile tug at the warrior's mouth, Gabrielle smiled. She reached out to take Xena's hand, forcing her to sit up. When she did, she pressed a finger between Xena's eyebrows, smoothing out the frown lines there.

They stared at each other for a moment, both lost in their own thoughts.

Gabrielle understood the inner turmoil that she knew must be swirling around in Xena's mind. Xena liked being in control and having a plan; Xena was a woman of action and sitting idle while people were dying didn't rest well with her. Without a plan, Xena felt lost and helpless, feelings that Xena wasn't fond of, or experienced with, but Gabrielle would try her hardest to help in any way that she could, because that was what she would do if things were reversed and Xena's life was the one in trouble. She wouldn't stop until she found the culprit behind the madness and the killings, if that meant she could save Xena.

Xena stared at her best friend, swallowing down her heart; it felt as though it had taken home in her throat, beating away and causing her breathing to become difficult. It didn't help when Gabrielle looked at her that way, the look that said Xena was the best person in the world and had complete trust in her. She didn't know how, but Gabrielle always seemed to wear that expression when addressing Xena. She didn't deserve it, she knew she didn't after all she'd done, but Gabrielle thought otherwise and reserved that look for her.

The bard's unwavering faith in her, even during their most testing moments, always impressed and heartened the warrior, making her love her more. During times when Xena felt lost, Gabrielle always pulled her back onto her path, offering words of reason and wisdom that seemed beyond her years, yet helped her nevertheless.

"Just another day in the life," she agreed, her voice breaking slightly.

Gabrielle frowned when she saw the beginnings of tears in the warrior's eyes. She reached out, not caring whether or not she could ever tell Xena about her love. Like any other human when sad, Xena needed comforting, and Gabrielle wanted to show that she would be there for her.

She touched her face, stroking her fingers along Xena's cheek reassuringly. "We'll work this out, Xena," she promised quietly. "We'll find out who wants Selena's life and what is going on in this town, okay? We'll sort out Darius when it comes to him."

Xena nodded. She wanted to close her eyes and just let herself loose to the bard's touch, but knew better than to fall into her desires and reached up, grabbing her hand. She risked a soft, feathery kiss to the palm of Gabrielle's hand and sighed. "What would I do without you?"

Gabrielle smiled gently. "I think you'd still be saving the world,"

"Maybe," Xena agreed, "But with you by my side, you make it feel less of a job. You make it easier for me to go on and get up of my bedroll in the morning. You keep me going."

"Same here," The bard said.

Without another word, Gabrielle took her hand back and moved to her previous position, kneeling on the bed behind the warrior. Returning her hands to Xena's shoulders, she continued working the tension from her friend's muscles. Moving her hands across her skin, Gabrielle used her fingers to slide the strap of Xena's outfit from one of her shoulders, watching as it moved to drop onto her arm, and went to work on that side. She kneaded the flesh, working out the hard muscles until she felt them soften in her hands.

Somewhere along the way, as the job wore on and the daylight faded from the room, Gabrielle's breathing became deeper. She brushed the warrior's skin and she hooked her fingers around the dark tresses of hair that fell down Xena's back, moving it to fall over her bare shoulder. She shifted closer until her chest almost touched Xena's back, and moved the strap so she could massage the other shoulder properly. Xena's moans of pleasure under her skilled hands made her both smile and flush in turn; knowing she had such a power over the strong warrior gave her courage to carry on, but she felt confused when she suddenly felt Xena tense beneath her.

Xena sat rigidly on the end of the bed. She closed her eyes tight as Gabrielle's hands moved over her skin, rubbing the muscles she already felt were melting under her adept touch. Her heart raced away in her chest, making her breathless, but she fought to regain the control she was quickly losing. She didn't know what was happening.

Normally, whenever Gabrielle gave her a massage, Xena let her mind wander off into a safe place so she wouldn't react. But now, she felt every brush of Gabrielle's fingers; the touch of her skin against her own created a fire that raced through her veins, igniting her blood.

When the bard's touch softened, turning into gentle, feathery caresses across her skin, dangerous questions assaulted Xena. Should she tell her of her love? How would she react? What harm would a kiss do? Desire betrayed the warrior and she allowed herself to fall into the illusion, daring her to think that the bard wanted her just as much as she did her when she felt her fingertips lingering on her skin. She focused on the touch, picturing in her mind Gabrielle moving her hands across her skin as a lover, taking care to give attention to every inch, replacing her fingers with her plush lips. The images that occupied her mind, combined with the real touch of her friend, served as the most pleasurable torture she'd ever allowed herself to bear.

And she hated herself for it.

Gabrielle moved her hand up, her fingertips brushed against Xena's neck for a moment. She paused, feeling the strong, quick heartbeat against her skin and felt a tingle of desire rush through her. She wondered if her ministrations affected the warrior just as much as they did her.

As she continued working, and she dared to think, if only for a moment, that Xena might want her the same way she did. She had known pleasure before; she wasn't naïve to the subtle signs the body gave away when it experienced it, but she didn't know if she was reading Xena's body right, and what she was feeling was true, or whether her mind making her believe what she wanted to. She watched curiously as Xena's body moved slightly into her hands, her muscles twitching with anticipation when Gabrielle let her fingers drift just above the skin.

She dared to test her theory and let her fingers glide over Xena's hot skin, moving them to slide down her spine; she felt Xena shiver in response and watched as the dark haired warrior's back arched away unconsciously, her muscles shuddering.

Gabrielle lowered her head slightly till it hovered over Xena's shoulder. She heard the warrior's heavy breathing and felt a smile surface. "Xena?"

"Yes…?" Xena replied breathlessly through the sensuous haze.

_Just say it_, Gabrielle thought as she paused, hearing her heart beating away in her ears. Why couldn't she say it? It was only a handful of words; she could breathe them out with hardly any effort. So why was it so hard? Perhaps if she tried a different approach?

A kiss? If she turned her head slightly and pressed a kiss onto the warrior's cheek or neck, would it be so bad. The worst she could receive from it was the slight awkwardness that would pass soon enough if she was rejected. They were both adults, they could get over it if it didn't work out…right?

Gabrielle steeled herself, swallowing hard and started moving toward Xena's cheek, aiming to place a kiss there, butterflies assaulting her stomach every centimetre of the way.

Her heart almost burst from her chest when the door opened. She felt Xena jump too under the hands she still had pressed against both shoulders. They had both been caught off guard; that surprised her. Under normal circumstances, Xena would have heard someone coming, but she had been just as surprised as she had. She didn't think too deeply into what that could mean. She'd already let her mind wander enough already.

While Gabrielle rolled off the bed and dashed away from it, moving to grab her staff for comfort, Xena rose to her feet and slipped her thumbs under her straps of her leather outfit, sliding them back up onto her shoulders. She stood with her hands on her hips, blood rushing to her face and her heart racing away in her chest like she'd just run up the side of Mount Olympus.

Leandros knew he had interrupted something, but he didn't know what, only that Xena didn't look happy about it. The scowl he saw present on her face and the thunder visible in her eyes told him that he would be about to die, if she were still the woman many had claimed her to be back when she'd been the Destroyer of Nations. His stomach certainly seemed to think so. It flipped as the tall, dark warrior approached him, and he suddenly found himself pathetically speechless.

"Well?" Xena said, prompting him to speak. Her voice had an edge to it.

He was right. She was annoyed, and he was about to die.

"I…I, we…" Leandros said unintelligibly as he gestured with a fluster to himself and the woman beside him.

At the sight of the warrior's expression darkening, Leandros felt the air leave him and lost all words altogether. The blood drained from his face. Thankfully, Juliette stepped in for him, relieving him of the simple task of asking them the question they had come to ask in the first place.

Xena watched as the Seer stepped forward, gently resting her hand upon Leandros's forearm to ease him, and the touch seemed to do just that. They shared a quick smile, almost as fast as a blink until Juliette stepped forward to address Xena in his stead.

"Hello, Xena. We didn't mean to interrupt…_anything_," she started drolly, shooting the warrior a knowing smile, "but we were wondering if you wanted to join us tonight? It's the second day of the festival. After the week everyone has had, I thought it would be nice for you and Gabrielle to relax; listen to some music, drink some wine…dance maybe?"

Xena scratched the side of her head uncomfortably. She still felt the pulse of her blood rushing through her veins, and from the look in the Seer's eyes, she guessed she knew an idea of what she was thinking and feeling. She slipped on her poker face regardless.

"I don't know," she started.

Gabrielle slipped up beside her then, being careful not to look at her friend, and smiled. After what she had almost done, she felt she needed to relax. Realizing her friends had saved her from making a big mistake, she felt she definitely needed the break. Her desire still existed, but it wasn't as strong anymore. She felt her impulses were back under control again, and she was breathing normally once more.

She had been wrong. Xena didn't love her the way she loved the warrior, it had all been in her head. She'd made Xena's body to move that way under her skilful hands, taking advantage of her emotional state because she could. She had allowed her dream to become a reality by force. Gabrielle found herself wondering if it was a just a fleeting thing. What if her love was just misplaced hero worship? That was how it had all started, maybe that hadn't changed, or maybe it had become too much for the bard that she'd created an illusion she had allowed herself to fall too deeply into?

She needed to think, and going to the festival sounded better than sitting in the tavern hitting herself over what she had almost done. "I think that sounds great, don't you Xena?"

Xena felt confused. One moment, all she knew had been the bard's touch creating trails of fire with her fingertips across her already heated skin. Then the next moment, Leandros and Juliette walk in and it was as though that fire had turned to ice, and Gabrielle seemed completely aloof to the way she'd made Xena's body move, and the way she wanted her to keep doing it.

She closed her eyes, mentally hitting herself for allowing the momentary lapse in self-control once more around Gabrielle. She couldn't do it, she couldn't allow herself to do that and tell the bard how she felt. Otherwise, Gabrielle would know the truth and she'd send her running away with a disgusted look on her face; she would lose her only close friend and travelling companion. She couldn't allow that, nor would she risk anything to cause the bard to leave.

She swallowed hard, getting rid of the dryness she felt there and nodded. "Err…sure," the tired warrior replied.

* * *

><p><em>Hey guys! Things are heating up, no? ;D Thanks for reading this chapter. The same disclaimers apply. If you have the time, I really appreciate any commentsreviews that you may have. Sorry for the wait - my internet has been off for a while. Wild Heart readers - the next chapter should be up in the next couple of days.  
>Thanks again! :D Stay tuned!<em>


	30. Out of Reach

Cupid appeared in his mother's temple with a smile. Spinning the mini crossbow on his finger, he whistled his way through the halls leading to the main room he knew the goddess lingered in. He couldn't wait to tell her about Thrace.

He had spent all of two days, flying from one establishment to the next, letting loose arrows here and there whenever he saw debauchery. The city had been overrun with mortals clambering over each other to either kill or take them with the most overpowering lust. He had seen mortals almost tear others apart, fighting over one or many lovers. There had been instances where a mortal or two had killed each other when he hadn't managed to get there in time, but the love he spread through the city started to replace the hate, bringing mortals to their senses long enough to give the dead a proper burial.

In all his years in existence, Cupid had never seen or heard of such instances since the legendary cities of sin situated near the Dead Sea. All he knew of them now was that they no longer existed, destroyed either by angry gods, or natural changes of the earth. Either way, he knew that to prevent a repeat of such incidents, he and his mother had to make sure that they scoured the land to make sure that love still existed.

He had worried earlier as he'd flown over the city, watching for anyone that he had missed. He had just finished the last corner of Thrace, and was thinking about heading back to Olympus when the pain had shot through him. It had felt like a stabbing ache through his chest, and had only existed for less than a second, but it was long enough for him to remember and worry over. He was a god; he didn't feel pain like mortals did. Not unless another god had hurt him with a weapon made by the gods' blacksmith.

Still, he didn't want to worry his mother about it.

He carried on through the halls and turned at the end, walking up to her room. He pushed the pink beaded curtain aside with the back of his hand and stepped in, smiling. "Mother? Mother, guess what? I've finished with Thrace. Love is in the air again over there," he chuckled. "It took a while, but I'm pretty sure the mortals aren't going to leap on the first person that crosses their path anymore."

Copper coloured shadows danced across the stone wall, produced by the many lit candelabra at every corner of the room. As he looked up at the open spaced walls, Cupid saw the twinkling lights of the stars that dotted the sky. Daylight had faded, shrouding Greece in darkness.

His eyes fell upon the chaise under the window, vacant of its usual inhabitant. It looked as though it had been sat in recently; the pink covers looked mussed, and the cushions had pressure prints in them from being lain on.

"Mother?"

Hearing a sound, Cupid moved further into the room and found the blonde goddess sat in a dark corner of the room. He moved slowly, noticing the empty look in Aphrodite's eyes the closer he got. He could see the light of the moon bouncing off her smooth face, but the radiance of the orb did nothing to remove the sad look her expression held. He grew worried when he noticed her arms, already wrapped around herself tighten as if she could hold herself together the longer she stared.

He moved slowly, not wanting to startle her. He didn't even know if she'd heard him on his way in. "Mother?" he whispered softly.

She didn't look up. "Hey, Cupie,"

Seeing his mother in the sensitive state she was in, he didn't feel the urge to admonish her over the nickname she gave him. Instead he came to crouch next to her; he rubbed her arms comfortingly. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know," she replied.

"What do you mean you _don't know_?"

"I'm losing my mojo, kid," she said, attempting a smile. Aphrodite licked her dry lips and shifted into a more comfortable sitting position. "I feel strange. Weak strange – like I'm going to collapse, or fall to sleep all the time." She looked up at her son, and Cupid swallowed when he saw the start of dark circles under her normally bright blue eyes. "I can feel the love disappearing."

Cupid shook his head defiantly. "No, it can't be. I've just come back from Thrace. The love has returned to the city, they love again, mom. It exists still."

"Then why do I feel as if it's being sapped away from me?"

Cupid raked a hand through his hair. "I don't know," he said.

Aphrodite lifted a hand to his face, and he gasped at the coldness of her touch. He put his hand over hers, hoping to transfer some of his heat to her. "You're such a good boy, Cupie. I remember when you were just a little baby. You were such a hand full. I was afraid that I was doing something wrong. But, Hephaestus knew you were going to grow to be a great man, though, and he was right," she said, rubbing her thumb across his cheek.

Cupid frowned, his face hardening. He didn't like seeing his mother like this, and after everything that had happened, after losing all the love, he wondered just how badly the love goddess was taking it. From the almost fragile way she looked to him, he knew it was worse than he thought. Her hair was flat, something she would have been obsessing and complaining over right now. Yet here she sat tired and sad.

"We're going to sort this out, mother, I promise. I've already gone through Thrace, Athens and Corinth, all the big cities. I'm going to start on the smaller towns and villages next."

"I'll help," Aphrodite said. She moved to push herself up and moaned as if in pain.

Cupid stood and rested his hands on his mother's shoulders, pushing her down. "No, I can do this, okay? You just stay here. There is obviously something wrong with you, and I don't want to risk anything happening in case there is something more to this that we don't know."

"I'm a goddess, _the_ Goddess of Love, I should help." She tried again and he pushed her down once more.

"No," he said, his voice filled with finality.

"Fine," Aphrodite sighed.

She looked up at her son, and the expression look on her face made Cupid feel helpless. "There must be something I can do, someone else that can help?"

Aphrodite shook her head. She had already told Zeus about the situation and he was investigating into it. Then a thought came to her. She had already told her trusted brothers and sisters, but she hadn't entrusted the information into the very ones that it had started to affect first. The mortals.

And she knew just which one she could trust with this.

She reached out and clutched her son's muscled forearm, grabbing his attention away from whatever was causing the haunted look in his eyes. When he looked back at her, his brown eyes looked darker, but from the lack of light or the seriousness of the situation, she couldn't tell.

"There _is_ this one chick who I think might be able to help us," she said.

Cupid held her hand, eager to listen. "_Who_?"

~X~

"Xena, c'mon! Have another drink!"

"Leave me alone…"

The warrior pursed her lips as she looked over the top of her empty tankard. She narrowed her eyes as she watched as the bard stood talking with Leandros at the other end of the clearing. They had been together for almost half a candle mark, talking, laughing. At one point, she had seen Gabrielle laughing about something that Leandros had said, and watched as he lifted his hand to hover just over her shoulder. Gabrielle hadn't looked uncomfortable when she'd noticed. In fact, she had leaned into the touchless circle of his arm and smiled encouragingly.

Xena clenched her teeth and clutched her hand around the tankard tighter. She could almost feel her grip creating finger impressions into the metal. Looking up, she saw her fiery haired friend standing at the end of the bench she was sat on.

Selena looked back at her, seemingly unaffected by Xena's tone. "Don't you want another drink?"

Xena shook her head. "I should keep my wits about me. I really shouldn't have had this one," she said, shaking her empty tankard.

Selena sat next to her, shifting close enough so that their arms brushed. "You need to relax, Xena. You have done a lot for me these past few days, and I appreciate it, but I have a few guards looking out for me now. After you had that talk with the captain, he assigned me a small guard. They're watching out for any possible attackers right now."

"Yeah, I saw them."

Xena had spotted them the moment she had seen Selena approach her outside _The Rose_. Their armour had winked back at her from the trees as the light from the torches caught it. She hadn't felt that anyone was in danger, and she recognized the design of the armour, so had left them but decided to keep an eye out anyway. But even with knowing that Selena had a personal guard, Xena didn't want to take her mission lightly. After everything she had done, had caused the young woman in her past, deserting her to have another drink would feel like abandoning her all over again.

"Nothing good ever comes from that look in your eyes, Xena. I remember y'know."

Xena looked at her. "What are you talking about?"

Selena smiled. She rested her fingers under the warrior's chin and lifted her head until Xena's eyes met hers. She sighed. "You have that self-torturing look in your eyes. I've seen it too many times since you decided to help me, and I used to see it a lot when we travelled together."

"I'm not torturing myself," Xena disagreed. She turned away and caught sight of Gabrielle across the clearing.

Through the bodies of those that danced, she saw the bard looking back at her. There was a strange look in her green eyes, one Xena couldn't decipher. From where she sat, she would almost say the bard looked…_sad_ when she looked at them. As someone danced across her line of sight, the warrior lost eye contact with Gabrielle. Xena moved her head from side to side, looking around them, but by the time her eyes fell on Gabrielle again, she found her conversing with Leandros once more, sharing another one of those smiles she'd seen them swap for the past candle mark, all trace of sadness gone.

Xena clenched her fist, and it took all she had to resist throwing the tankard she still had in her hand. After what she had experienced earlier in her room, whether real or not, she had let herself believe that maybe there was something more between herself and the bard.

She had felt the way Gabrielle's fingers had lingered on her skin with that tantalizing touch she possessed, had felt the bard's quick heartbeat when she'd pressed her body against Xena's back. She had even felt Gabrielle's breath become as shallow as hers had become as it brushed across the naked skin of her shoulders. But once again, Xena had let herself believe what she wanted; looking too far into what had just been another platonic massage.

She dropped her face into her hands. Selena was right. She was torturing herself.

Feeling a tug on her arm, she looked up. Selena's mouth was curled into a smile as she stood before Xena, tugging on her hand invitingly. "Have another drink, Xena, at least one more. It'll calm your nerves. It's certainly worked wonders for your friend," Selena added with a jerk of her head in the bard's direction.

Xena's eyes flickered to Gabrielle and saw that the blonde holding another drink, a forth if she wasn't mistaken. She recognized the slightest wobble, the relaxed stance, and the much too comfortable way she was placing her hand on Leandros's arm as they talked. She looked as though she was enjoying herself, why couldn't Xena?

With a huff, Xena rose to her feet and allowed Selena to lead her. "Fine," she said.

After what had happened in the room, Gabrielle had been suspiciously quiet. She'd jumped at the chance to go to the festival and all but ran into the woods with Leandros and Juliette. At first, the warrior had thought that it might be because of what happened between them, but then she remembered how much she had enjoyed the festival and the music the day before, and realized that it was just excitement.

As before, a platform had been set up at one end of the clearing, but this time no seats were set out. Instead, the ground had been left open for dancers and those that might want to join in. There had been a couple of stragglers from the town after the light had faded, but after that, all that remained were Juliette's own people. They danced and sang to the music a small group of musicians played on the platform. They had strange and exotic looking instruments, some familiar to the warrior and some not, but they made wonderful music that carried over the dancers, drawing them into dance. Even Xena found herself tapping her foot to the beat, despite her sour mood.

As the night had worn on, and people drank more, Xena had found more dancers taking centre in the clearing. The men and women of the caravan joined in an almost tribal dance show, throwing the clothes they wore from their bodies, only retaining their undergarments and gauzy wraps almost identical to what Juliette had worn the first time the Gabrielle and Xena had met her. They moved as one during the show, each movement planned and known, almost as if each person felt the movements of those around them and reacted to it.

It had been a fantastic show, showing both pride and power, not to mention a mixture of dances the caravan had picked up on their travels. It had been exotic and a spectacle to behold for all those that had witnessed it.

When the show had finished, the townsfolk had left, leaving the caravan and a few people from the town like Selena and Dantorix to stay. Xena and Gabrielle stayed, as did Leandros, to join the party and take part in a few drinks and dances as Juliette had suggested, though Xena had stayed out of the dance part.

She barely listened to Selena as the red head led her through the mass of swaying bodies, throwing smiles every so often over her shoulder at the warrior. Xena would smile back, but it was only a weak smile. She found she could hardly bring herself to enjoy her time while Gabrielle was talking and getting close to the warrior they had captured.

"Here," Selena said as they reached a table. She poured the contents of a wide jug into Xena's tankard and gestured for her to drink it.

"Thanks," Xena said as she lifted the cup to her lips.

After a few minutes of companionable silence, Selena lowered her cup and gestured to the crowd with it. "They make a good couple, wouldn't you say, Xena?"

Xena paused, stopping the cup barely an inch from her lips. She looked over the rim to look at her blonde friend and frowned. "Hmph," she grumbled and looked away.

"Oh, come on, Xena," Selena chuckled, patting her arm.

The warrior downed her drink in one and slammed the tankard on the table. "I don't care,"

"It's obvious you do," Selena disagreed as she refilled the cup. She looked over at the bard and sighed. "The heart wants what the heart wants, and I'm sorry to say this, Xena, but I think what she wants…isn't you."

Xena frowned, feeling the sharp stabbing pain in her chest. She had thought that, had known that it was a possibility, but hearing it put so bluntly felt like a blow to the chest. It knocked the wind from her. She coughed to hide any sign that her friend's words had affected her and stood straight. Slipping on her warrior's mask, Xena turned to Selena.

"Why _should_ I care?"

"Xena," Selena drawled. "I _know_ you. I know you love her. It's as plain as day on your face. When you told me that you only loved her as a friend the other day, I knew you were lying. You can hide your hurt from many, but you can't hide it from me. You're forgetting we travelled together, and though it was only a short time, I remember everything, I can read you. Your face fell like a sack of stones when you saw them earlier." She reached out to gently squeeze Xena's hand. "Stop chasing what you can't have before it tears you apart, because believe me, it will."

Xena looked up then to see that Leandros was leading her friend out into the clearing, holding her hand, a smile on both their faces. As they moved into a position to dance, Xena's eyes caught the face of an onlooker nearby. She wore an expression identical to the feelings swirling around in the warrior's own chest.

Seeking an opportunity, Xena nodded to Selena and broke away with her freshly topped up tankard. She moved around the dancers, watching carefully through the gaps as they swayed and saw her friend and Leandros caught in a dance. She took a little pleasure in discovering their movements were awkward and a little off step, ruining any kind of romantic mood either may be trying to find. But they were still together, their bodies almost pressed closely as they moved, and it made Xena's chest burn to watch them so near.

The warrior rested against the opposite side of the tree to where the other stood. She kept her eyes on the dancers as she spoke. "Are you enjoying yourself yet?"

"From the tone of your voice, I could very well ask you the same question and reach an answer that would be identical to my own," Juliette replied.

"A simple _no_ would have sufficed," Xena said dryly.

She poked her head out from around the tree and rested her eyes on the young seer. Her face was emotionless, void of the smile she usually wore, her arms folded across her chest and she too leaned against the tree as if for support. She had changed out of the ordinary dress Xena had seen her wearing when she and Leandros had walked into her room earlier. Now, Juliette wore her customary wrap; the beads hanging from the edges looked like little blue crystals, a paler tone against the dark blue material she wore.

Xena noticed she stood a little shorter than usual, and realized after looking to the ground, that Juliette was barefoot. She looked back up with a smile and saw Juliette looking at her. She was surprised to find a strange look in her eyes. They looked different somehow, harder.

"Would I be wrong, Xena?"

"I suppose not," Xena admitted as she took a sip of her wine. "But you have the unfair advantage of being a seer. You know the cause of my mood."

Juliette chuckled, but it wasn't a pleasant sound. To Xena's ears it had a slight bitter edge to it. As she looked out at the dancers, Juliette sighed wearily. "It doesn't take a seer to see what you feel and know that I can empathize."

Xena followed her gaze and saw her watching the very two dancers she herself had spent half the night watching. "You love Gabrielle?"

"No,"

"…Leandros?"

Juliette bit her lip. "Why are we afraid to care too much, for fear that the one we love do not care at all, even with the knowledge we have?" she asked cryptically. The young seer's eyes held a tinge of sadness as she stared at the man with another woman in his arms. "It seems Fate is cruel, and would rather see us suffer first before we find our true happiness with our loves." She linked her fingers together in front of her, casting her gaze to the ground. "I both curse and thank my Sight."

"What do you mean?" Xena asked, shifting a little closer.

"I dreamt of him before I came here, before I had even seen him in person. My Sight directed me back to Dreyas – I wasn't even planning to come, but I had to. Not only does it affect me, but others as well."

Xena took another sip of her wine. "Others?"

Juliette glanced up, a wry smile twisting her lips. "I'm afraid I can't say anymore."

The warrior nodded understandingly. "Does he know of your feelings?"

"He _can't_ know yet. It isn't time. Revealing them now will only confuse him more, and we all know how easy it is to confuse a man," Juliette quipped.

Xena knew that alright. Almost every man she had come in contact with had been easily swayed, either by her body or her silver tongue. The only ones that seemed to rival her wit were Caesar and Ares. Seeing Juliette stand upright suddenly, Xena mirrored her, thinking there was trouble. But when she looked down and saw the hand that the Seer was holding out to her in offering, she looked up to meet her eyes with confusion.

Juliette gestured to the clearing with a slight nod of her head. "Would you like to dance, Xena?"

The warrior stared at the hand and shook her head. "Dancing….its, uh, it's not my thing. I can't do it," she lied.

Xena knew that she could dance; she had used her dancing many times to get what she wanted. Whether it was to seduce, to steal or to kill, Xena could dance. It was one of her self-proclaimed many skills. Yet, tonight, watching everybody enjoying themselves, and the only person she would ever truly want to join in dance with someone else, Xena felt a little discouraged.

"Nonsense. Dancing is a universal language that is felt rather than heard, a language that transcends culture and brings people together. Your body knows more than you know. It's as easy as breathing and comes naturally. Just let yourself go, Xena. Besides, you might find enjoyment in the results."

Xena arched a perfect eyebrow. "What makes you say that?"

Juliette grinned mischievously. "Over centuries, dancing has been used to display power, instil fear and even passion in those that set their eyes upon the dancer."

Reading the subtle message in the Seer's words, Xena smiled back and nodded. "I didn't know you had such a wicked side, Juliette."

Following Juliette's wink, Xena downed the rest of her wine and took the hand offered to her, shadowing the smaller woman out into the mass of bodies. They started off awkwardly at first; Juliette moved in strange ways, making it hard for the warrior to keep up. But soon, as the Seer had promised, Xena found herself loosening. She knew the wine probably helped, but she tried not to think of that as she joined the young silver haired woman in her dance.

For the first time since she'd arrived at the town, Xena felt relatively relaxed. She followed Juliette's lead until others started moving around them, asking to cut in. Juliette bowed out, offering her hand to another, leaving Xena completely open to one of the offers her people gave. She danced with them, and it was polite and comfortable, but she found herself unfocused - her attentions were elsewhere.

There was only one person she looked for to share in a dance with.

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading :) If you have the time, please don't forget to reviewcomment. Stay tuned ;D


	31. Assisting

Gabrielle sighed.

She didn't know how many drinks she'd had, but when the world started spinning gently around her, she knew it was time to have a rest. Leandros held her hand; he spun her slowly, smiling. The action didn't make her worse, but it sure didn't help either. Gabrielle didn't normally drink, so after the first few tankards of cider, she knew she was in trouble. Especially when she felt the alcohol bubbling around in her head.

But she wanted to forget. Forget her feelings; forget what she had almost done. She knew her in her heart that she couldn't help the way she felt, but if there was any chance that her love might cause any problems along the way, she would rather be rid of them than remove herself.

She didn't want to leave the woman that had come to mean more than herself, more than her family. Xena _was_ her life, but she didn't want to slow her down. What if she revealed her feelings and Xena turned them down? Gabrielle knew that it would cause awkwardness between the two, but being the warrior that she was, Xena would feel obligated to watch over her all the time, just like she had when they'd first started travelling together.

No, she couldn't do that to Xena.

Turning again, Gabrielle spun to face her dance partner. Leandros smiled down at her, his deep blue eyes reflecting the light of the torches surrounding the clearing. Beads of sweat rolled down his face, lingering in his stubble. She could smell the stench of ale on his breath. Leandros had matched her drinks as far as she knew; for everyone she'd lifted to her lips, Leandros had one too.

His lips turned down in worry as she stared at him. "You look a little tired, Gabrielle. Would you like to sit down?" he offered.

Leandros drew his eyebrows together in concern. He'd watched her as she'd danced. The bard had seemed distracted as they moved. Her focus was elsewhere, as though she was constantly thinking. When she nodded, Leandros led her out of the crowd, taking care to make sure none of the people around them bumped into her by accident.

"I can walk, Leandros. I'm fine," Gabrielle said, waving him off. She staggered the rest of the way and sat down on one of the benches, resting her forehead in her palm.

"You look fine," he chuckled as he knelt before her. "Had one too many?"

The bard glared past her hand. "You've had as much as I have!"

"Yes," Leandros agreed with a grin, his eyes shining with amusement. "But _I_ can handle myself. You, on the other hand, obviously don't drink, do you?"

"Ugh, please…" Gabrielle groaned, feeling somewhat irritated.

"Here, let me get you some water." He rose to his feet and started to walk away, but he didn't get far before he stopped to look over his shoulder. "You stay there, okay?"

"Yes, yes…I'll stay here," Gabrielle said distractedly.

Once she was sure he'd left, the bard rubbed a hand down her face and grumbled. Leandros had never left her side the whole evening. From leaving the tavern, to watching the show, to downing the drinks, he had always been there. She wondered about him as it had gotten further into the night. He lingered by her side, touching her hand or reaching out to brush her hair with his fingers. It seemed unconscious, like he didn't know he was doing it, so she let it slide. But as the night had worn on, Gabrielle had found herself falling into his touch unexpectedly, especially when she had looked up and seen Xena with Selena.

She hadn't meant to stare, but seeing them together, knowing their history, she couldn't help but feel jealous. It had stirred in her chest life fire when she'd seen Selena touch her the way she had barely candle marks earlier. Yet she knew she could never tell her best friend that she wanted to touch her like that, wanted to be the _only_ one.

"Gabrielle?"

The bard jumped, recognizing the voice. She smiled up at the light blue eyes looking back at her, trying not to let on she had just been thinking about her. "Hey, Xena. Nice dancing," she teased.

Xena snorted and moved to sit next to her friend. "I know I'm an okay dancer, but that Juliette had a few moves on me I didn't expect. Anyway," Xena paused to swallow, looking away from her friend. "I could say the same to you, too. Where did you learn to move like that?"

"Well, when you watch the mighty warrior princess long enough, you start to pick things up," Gabrielle joked.

"Oh, yeah? What else have you picked up?"

Gabrielle hesitated, wanting to jest. But something in the warrior's eyes made her stop. Instead, she thought about it carefully, deciding to be honest. She reached up carefully, pushing away the warrior's bangs. "I have learned to have faith in myself, to believe that I can be more than I think I am. I have learned to never give up, even when things look their worst; there is always a way. I have learned to fight for what I believe in and what I care about. But most of all, I have learned about true friendship and the unconditional love that another can offer…" she trailed off quietly.

Both women locked eyes for a moment, a thousand thoughts flying behind their eyes, but neither seeing. Instead, they remained quiet. Finally, feeling a warmth travel through her, Gabrielle sighed and tilted slightly, resting her head on the warrior's shoulder.

Xena felt her chest swell at the small contact, and lifted her arm to drape it around the bard, pulling her closer. Too embarrassed and choked up over the bard's words, she found she could only smile down at her tired looking friend. "How many have you had, Gabrielle?" she asked finally.

"I don't know, but I think it might be more than, or equal to the number of fingers I have on my hand," Gabrielle said quietly, noticing with embarrassment that her words sounded a little slurred. She rubbed her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to have so many."

Xena chuckled as she reached up to brush aside the hair that had fallen across Gabrielle's eyes. "Hey, no worries. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."

Gabrielle smiled up at the warrior, loving the way the light seemed to make Xena's eyes shimmer like blue fire. She wished she had the courage to tell her – she felt the urge to tell her.

"What did Selena want?" she asked instead.

"She…uh, she just wanted to tell me to relax a little. Now that Krateros knows more about the situation, he has posted some soldiers to act as her personal guard. They're watching over her."

Gabrielle looked around. "Really? I haven't seen any guards."

"That's because they're hidden," Xena smiled.

The bard looked back up at Xena and smiled, narrowing her eyes. "So, if she has guards watching over her, that should take some of the responsibility of her protection off you, right?"

"I suppose…" Xena agreed slowly, wondering where her friend was going with this. "Why?"

Gabrielle lifted herself to her feet. She bent slightly and reached out for Xena's hand. With strength that betrayed her slightly tipsy appearance, Gabrielle pulled the warrior up till she was on her feet, looking down with amusement at the blonde bard.

"What's wrong?" she asked as Gabrielle fidgeted.

"You and Juliette looked like you were having fun dancing. I thought, maybe, you might wanna share a dance with your best friend?" Gabrielle asked hopefully.

Xena thought her heart might jump out of her chest at the sound of her friend's hopeful request. She knew Gabrielle only wanted to join in the festivities with their new friends, and after hardly spending any time with each other, Xena couldn't blame the bard for taking what seemed like the first opportunity to spend a little time together. But after almost cracking and telling Gabrielle about her feelings, Xena wasn't sure if it would be wise to partake in a dance.

Gabrielle felt the warrior tense slightly. She knew Xena hardly danced and only did when she needed to, but she wanted to share in a dance with her. It was something she had always wanted to try. Especially after she had watched her and the silver haired woman move almost in sync with each other as they'd moved to the music. They had looked almost perfect, and she wanted that.

"C'mon, maybe you can show me some of those moves?" she grinned, tugging gently to coax the warrior as she started walking backwards. "What harm would a little dance do?"

_If only you knew_, Xena thought wryly.

Before she could refuse or pull away, Xena found her feet moving of their own accord, following the blonde into the mass of people. As they passed them, she picked up the slight musky scent of sweat as it rolled off their scantily clad bodies; a combination of the summer night heat, and the dance they were engaged in.

With her hand still held firmly in Gabrielle's, Xena's keen senses felt something wash over the area, like feeling a warm mist falling over them all. Time seemed to slow down and the bard was all she saw. She smiled broadly as she watched Gabrielle's eyes shine with laughter and excitement.

Something inside Xena screamed that there was something wrong, something was happening, but when Gabrielle stopped in the middle of the pulsing crowd, and lightly brushed the fingertips of her left hand up the warrior's bare arm, Xena found herself failing to care. She closed her eyes, focusing solely on the feel of the warm skin again against her own.

She reached out to grab the hand and spun her friend before her, smiling widely when Gabrielle laughed as she twirled in a circle. They danced together, moving quickly from the excitement of being part of the crowd, and from the drinks they'd consumed. It was when Xena spun the bard as far as her arm could reach, and tugged her back so she tucked into the warrior's side, her arm still folded around the blonde's form, that she felt something shift.

She glanced down at the eyes looking back up at her and saw the gentle smile gone, replaced by something more sensuous, more enticing. Gabrielle's green eyes had darkened; become glassy with what the warrior dared to think was desire. They watched her, the intense gaze penetrating as if the bard was looking into her soul. It excited and frightened her at the same time.

Rolling the bard away once more to repeat her former action, Xena used the momentum of the spin to turn Gabrielle's body at the last moment until they stood face to face. As she looked up at her, Xena noticed Gabrielle was breathing just as hard as she was, her face flushed with colour. What was it Juliette had said? _'Dancing is a language that is felt rather than heard?' _Well maybe she could check that theory. Test it to see if she could make Gabrielle hear what her dancing had to say.

With calculated movements, Xena slowly lifted her hand to the bard's face, brushed her fingers through the silky blonde hair, and swept it aside, stepping closer as she did. She heard a gasp escape her as Gabrielle moved her own hands, lifting them to brush carefully over Xena's hips. As they looped around her waist, Xena snaked her hand down to grab one of Gabrielle's, and turned her, keeping their bodies close together. Feeling the bard's back against her chest, Xena supressed a groan. The bard's small body fit perfectly into hers, like a puzzle that had found its missing piece.

She started slowly, lowering and moving their bodies the slow, seductive tempo of the music. Xena took the lead; with her hand still holding Gabrielle's, she used her free hand to move gently, drifting it over her the skin of her arm like a whisper, before brushing it over the exposed skin of Gabrielle's stomach. She smiled as she felt the muscles of Gabrielle's stomach quiver in anticipation under her fingertips.

Soon, Xena felt her heart beating in time with the rhythm of the beating drums; it felt like the music wrapped each of them into a cocoon, where only the bard, the warrior and the music existed. As Xena moved her head to Gabrielle's shoulder, she felt the blonde tilt her own head until it rested against hers. She closed her eyes, completely losing herself into the dance when she felt a familiar prickle and whisper of cold air brush the back of her neck.

_Not now!_ The warrior growled in frustration.

Mistaking her growl for something else, Gabrielle chuckled and brushed her hands against the arms that circled her. "Good moves, Xena," the bard whispered.

Xena wanted so much to stay. Her heart was almost beating out of her chest, her skin was burning with desire, and she had the very one that caused it in her arms, where she belonged. But she felt a godly presence nearby, one she recognized.

With great reluctance, Xena pulled away. She immediately felt cold; the absence of the bard and her body's warmth left an ache in her empty arms, and caused a twinge of pain in her chest.

"Xena?" Gabrielle asked as she turned, her voice carrying a husky tinge. Seeing the warrior starting to back away, her eyes widened slightly. "What-?"

"I've got to go, Gabrielle," Xena said regretfully. She saw the flush of colour in the bard's cheeks and moaned. _Could it be_? Scared to know the truth, Xena raised a hand to her friend's face and brushed the back of her fingers against her skin. "I'll be back though."

A strange look passed over Gabrielle's eyes. To anyone else it would have been imperceptible. But Xena had keener senses than other mortals and caught it before Gabrielle could cover it with her customary smile. She had seen an emotion she hadn't meant to put there.

Hurt

To try and reassure her, Xena bent slightly and pressed a soft kiss to her friend's forehead. "I'll be back, okay?"

Gabrielle nodded without a word and watched as her friend backtracked and turned, leaping into the trees. As soon as she was in the cover of darkness, Xena let her smile fall from her face and let the snarl she'd been holding in loose. It felt good to hear as it ripped through her, dangerous and warning. If she crossed anyone but a god, she would most certainly tear them apart. She shivered in relish as the disturbing image flashed before her mind. The thought of her body responding so positively worried her. She shook her head, moving her mind away from that, concentrating instead on the way her heart still thrummed away like a hummingbird's wings in her chest.

Being a seductress, she knew the signs the body gave away when it was being enticed, and she could have sworn she had felt Gabrielle give back as much as she was taking from the dance. Their bodies had moved as one, their movements' unconscious, and silently obeyed the orders of its desires. They had been like mirrors, where one had moved, the other followed, like a reflection.

It had felt perfect.

"Alright, this better be good," Xena snapped. She stood in the clearing, hands on hips and glared into the shadows. "Well?"

The god materialized in a shimmer of golden sparks, shaking his head. "You're never in a good mood, are you?"

Biting back the urge to growl at the blonde god, Xena crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "This just isn't a good time. So, what is it?"

Cupid stepped forward. "I need your help, Xena. Well, we both do."

"We? You mean you and Aphrodite?" She looked around and noticed the absence of the normally jovial beauty. "Where is she?"

"Olympus. There's something wrong." Cupid paused for a moment, as if prolonging the absence of the words would make them less true. But he had to tell her. "She's not well."

"She's sick?" Xena chuckled and regretted it when she saw cupid's usual cheerful face darken with seriousness. "I thought gods don't get sick?"

Cupid ran a hand through his golden locks. "Well, it's not that's she's sick, per sae. It's just that…she," He sighed, realizing he wasn't making any sense. "Something is wrong with Greece at the moment, Xena. In all of the major cities, there has been an absence of love, and because of that, it turned into blind lust and hate. Everyone started trying to rip each other to pieces. Luckily, I had backups, so mother and I started going around Greece to replace the love, but it all started when my bow broke. We started with the big cities first, because that's where it seemed to hit the hardest-,"

Cupid stopped when he noticed Xena had lifted her hand. "Wait a minute. Did you just say that your bow is broken?" At the god's nod, she continued. "How? When did this happen?"

"Days ago. I was working when it happened. I was just about to shoot this teenager with one of my arrows, and then it broke. It snapped and melted in my hands. After the incident, me and mom have been using what I had as stand-ins to make sure love still existed, while Hephaestus is forging me a replacement." He sighed and brushed a hand through his hair again. "The thing is, we've been doing alright, but it's taking too long. The mortals are no longer looking to Aphrodite for love, and with my bow broken, the love is turning to hate. It's hurting her, Xena."

Xena saw his brown eyes turn sad and felt a pang of sadness in her own chest. "How is she?"

Cupid sat heavily on a nearby boulder. "I don't know how to explain it, because as you said, gods don't get sick. But when I arrived at her temple earlier, she looked…tired, as though she was her energy is being drained away from her. She wants to help, but she looks as though she's getting weaker. If this carries on, and mortals no longer fall in love, then…" he trailed off, not wanting to speak aloud the fears he had. "She needs their prayers, their love."

Xena moved to stand next to him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "What can I do?"

"That's the thing, Xena, we aren't entirely sure. When Hephaestus found out that my bow had broken, he was shocked. His weapons aren't like the ones mortals make. His are built to last forever, immortal weapons. For it to break the way it has can only mean one thing."

"Sabotage," Xena answered confidently.

Cupid nodded.

"It has to be another god then. No mortal alive could cause your bow to break like that, Cupid." She scratched her chin, walking away slowly as she thought. "Do you have any gods in mind that might have done this?"

"No, we can't think of any. The rest of the Olympian gods are busy. And I know what you're thinking, Xena, but it isn't Ares because without Aphrodite, his powers would pretty much be moot, and despite what you might say, Ares isn't that stupid. They need each other to balance the other out. There can't be love without hate, and vice versa. Whoever it is must be extremely callous. They know what they're doing, what they're causing."

Xena felt a familiar sensation fall over her for a moment. It was like back when she was protecting Selena from the young man. A rush of anger pulsed through her. She clenched her teeth and glared at the god. "Are you sure it isn't Ares? He's always trying to mess things up for us!"

"No, it isn't. I've just said that."

"He can fool mortals. What's to say he hasn't pulled the wool over your eyes!" she spat.

Cupid looked up quickly, surprised by the warrior's sudden anger. He knew then that his fear was confirmed. He stood carefully, looking at the woman before him. "The hate is spreading, Xena. You can feel it, can't you? You have to stay calm and think rationally in order to help out."

Xena closed her eyes. She listened to the god's words and knew they were right, but the dark feeling pressing on her flooded her ears, making her deaf to reason. "I can feel…_something_," she admitted, her voice sounding strained, even to her.

Cupid frowned as he clutched Xena's shoulders. Knowing that the hate had spread this far this quick, he knew it wouldn't be long before all of Greece would fall to this darkness in less time if his bow wasn't repaired soon. The mini bows he had used were meant to be a temporary solution, not a permanent replacement, which meant the progress he and Aphrodite had made would have been for nothing.

"Xena?" he said forcefully, giving the warrior a quick shake. When she opened her eyes to frown up at Cupid, he saw the same kind of unprovoked hate he's seen in many mortals flicker in her eyes. "You don't hate me, Xena. It's the darkness. You need to fight it."

Xena lifted her hand to her temple and rubbed to get rid of the pain she felt there. "I…is that what that is?" she asked.

"Yes. Have you felt it before now?"

"A couple of times," she confessed solemnly, picturing Cratinus's poor face in her mind.

At the memory and Cupid's words, it suddenly made sense why she had lost it the way she had. Before she'd had no intention of beating him, only removing him from Selena, but it had been as though something snapped inside. She'd turned on him, relishing the thought of bringing him pain as she had to so many in her past.

Cupid growled and turned away, pacing. "When did you first start feeling it? It might have shown in other ways: feeling annoyed, tiredness, confusion, lust."

Xena frowned. Thinking back to when she, Gabrielle and Leandros had first arrived at the town, she remembered she had, at some point or another, experienced all of those. At times she had felt full of energy, and then the next moment she had been strangely tired. As she'd tried thinking about ways that she could help Selena, it had felt as though something had reached into her mind and jumbled everything, making it hard for her to think. Barely moments ago, she had been caught in what had felt was a sensual dance with Gabrielle, and what she had felt like doing had most definitely along the lines of lust.

She ran a hand through her hair. Was that why she was feeling this way? Why she seemed to be getting these signs from Gabrielle when she had never before? It had to be. In all the time she had known the bard, Gabrielle hadn't expressed any kind of romantic feelings for her. They had told each other they loved each other plenty of times and kissed, but never romantically. Xena closed her eyes. She hated to admit it after what she had felt in the past few hours, but it would be the only thing that could explain it all.

With a heavy heart, Xena turned bad to the love god's expectant expression.

"I started feeling something as soon as I stepped into the town. I knew something was off. My gut was going crazy, ringing warning bells, but I couldn't see anything. I sensed something though."

"I can sense something here too. I've only been here a couple of minutes, but I can feel something, a presence." Cupid looked up at the shadows between the trees. "There is something here, in the town. It feels like a…god or a spirit…something."

"That's what I'm thinking," Xena agreed, "and not a good one. I can feel anger around the people, and today the high priest from the temple was found, murdered. I have a feeling that, whoever it is might have something to do with what's happening with you and Aphrodite."

"What makes you say that?"

"When did your bow break?" Xena asked.

"Almost a week ago. When did you arrive here?"

"Almost a week ago, and everything was fine before then. It's too much to be a coincidence, and if this darkness you mentioned is only just coming here, then something else has been affecting us before then."

Cupid nodded, pursing his lips. He seemed to think of the information he'd gathered for a moment before straightening out with determination. "I'll tell mother what you have told me. In the meantime," he paused to rest a hand on her shoulder. "Be careful, Xena," he said seriously.

Xena nodded. "I will." She watched as the love god disappeared before her eyes in a shimmer of golden sparks, leaving the warrior alone once again.

* * *

><p><em>Hey guys! Thanks for reading this chapter :) Same disclaimers apply. If you have any thoughtscomments/reviews, please, if you have the time, tell me what you think :D If there are any issues regarding spelling, grammar, or possible con-crit, please send it in a PM, thank you :D Stay tuned!_


	32. Mixed Messages

After Cupid left, Xena paced the small clearing for a small time before resorting to sitting, trying to sort out everything she had learned. There had to be a connection between the two instances. The love god had said that his bow had broken almost a week ago, and in that time, half of Greece had fallen to a darkness that took over in the place of love. Whilst she and her friends had been in Dreyas, she had felt subtle pressures, her normally clear thoughts scrambled, and her temper shorter. There was something in the town that was causing it. There had to be. She recognized the same kind of signs in the other townsfolk when she thought about it. They all seemed angry all the time, even hated her when they arrived at the town.

She remembered the time she had first gone to the temple, and Leandros and Gabriele had been arguing. She was going to leave them, let them sort it out between themselves. But when she'd seen the people approaching, almost as if they fed off of it, she'd had to interrupt them. She had thought it strange at the time, but her will to look into it further had been pushed down, as though a tiny voice at the back of her head had told her to leave it. Now that her mind was a little bit clearer, and she had some sort of explanation, looking back she felt it had been a sign.

"Xena?"

Xena's eyes snapped up when she heard the voice. She frowned slightly, recognizing the owner. "Selena?"

A few seconds later, the red-haired woman came stumbling out of the bushes, tugging her dress away from where it was stuck on the thorns. Xena heard a rip, followed by a moan, and couldn't help but smile a little at her friend's misfortune. "Are you alright?" she asked.

Selena shook her head as she came over to sit beside the warrior. "This was one of my best dresses!" She sighed. "Why do bad things always happen to me?"

"Bad luck, friend," Xena replied.

"Must be," she agreed dryly.

"What are you doing out here?"

Selena looked to the warrior, smiling. "I was just wondering where you disappeared off to. One minute you were talking to me, and then you went to dance – nice moves by the way," she added with a wink, to which Xena grinned at. "And then you were gone. I figured you went for a walk. Here," she finished holding out a tankard.

Xena chuckled as she took it, raising an eyebrow. "Are you trying to get me drunk, Selena?"

"It takes more than a few drinks to get the mighty warrior princess drunk," Selena replied nudging at Xena's shoulder with her own. "Anyway, when I saw you were gone I knew you either wanted fresh air, or there was something important that you had to do. You're not one to wonder off without a reason."

"I just…I needed to think," Xena said realizing she couldn't tell her about Cupid. She sipped at the wine and sighed, remembering their conversation. It still left a heaviness that preyed on her heart to think about it, but some of what he said had made sense. All she could think of was how bitter sweetly lucky she was to find out what was making her act the way she was before she did anything she would regret.

"About Gabrielle?" Hearing the low tone, Xena looked up. Selena was gazing away into the woods, a strange look in her eyes. "It's okay, Xena, you don't have to admit it. It's pretty obvious with the way you two were earlier,"

"No I…" Xena sighed and looked to her feet. Cupid's words echoed in her mind like a quiet curse. The darkness was playing with the mortal's minds. What was to say that it wasn't playing with hers, making her think, feel or see things that she wanted, wished for? It was obvious that it had been playing with Gabrielle's mind; making her act in a way that she never would have around Xena. "We don't. She doesn't…"

Her words broke off when she felt a hand on her own. Looking up, Xena met her old friend's pale violet gaze. "Xena," she said sadly.

~X~

Gabrielle bit her lip, looking up expectedly every now and then when she heard a noise. The dancers still moved together in the centre of the clearing, but some had retired to their tents, some alone, some not. She envied them. As she watched the couples leave hand in hand, exchanging kisses or softly spoken words of love and affection, Gabrielle found herself sinking into a state of dejection. Their closeness only reminded her of how she and Xena had been barely half a candle mark before she'd disappeared. Since she'd gone after leaving only a kiss on her forehead as an apology, Gabrielle had been left more confused than ever.

She closed her eyes to distract her from the couples, and found herself thinking about Xena; she could still recall the way her body had felt pressed against her own, the feel of her strong heartbeat. Gabrielle's body still remembered the gentle strength of the warrior's arms as they had wrapped themselves around her. She was sure, so sure, that Xena had been telling her something.

But she had let herself get lost in the illusion, the dream her heart yearned for as them as lovers, and when they had danced, it had almost felt real. She had forgotten to act unaffected as she did every day when Xena touched her, even the slightest, and instead she had fallen. Deeper into the arms willingly that promised to catch her, forever hold and protect her.

But had she fallen too far? Read the signs wrong?

Gabrielle knew she'd been about to tell her. She couldn't help it. Everything had seemed so…perfect. She felt loved and wanted, and she had been sure with the way that Xena's body had pressed against her own, almost as if she needed the contact as much as she did, that she felt the same way. But before she'd had the chance, Xena had pulled away. She had seen the unmistakable look of regret in the warrior's eyes, and it pierced her heart more than if the warrior had said the words herself. Xena regretted the dance as much as Gabrielle hated seeing that look in her eyes. She had given too much and set Xena on the run because of it.

She grumbled to herself as she moved to the edge of the trees. Looking into the area she had seen Xena disappear into, she wondered where she had gone. She had promised to be back, but after thinking about what happened, she realized that there was a possibility that she wouldn't. It would be more possible that Xena had gone back to the inn, leaving Gabrielle alone. Or maybe she had gone to think about things as she usually did? Gabrielle's stomach did a backflip. What if she was thinking of the best way to let her down? Gabrielle knew deep down there was the big possibility that Xena would never her the way she loved her, but if she had to hear the word, she didn't know if she could stand it. She would rather live in the dream, than suffer in the truth.

She had to apologize, stop Xena before she had the chance.

After looking to make sure there was nobody around, Gabrielle stumbled into the trees. She found it a chore; with the restricted light and her slightly inebriated state, she tripped over more times than she'd ever care to admit. She followed a tiny disturbed path, created by the broken twigs and Xena's light tread prints in the mud until she heard muttering from deep within the trees.

~X~

Xena looked up and found Selena staring at her intently. There was something about her friend's intense gaze that made it hard for her to look away. She looked worried, but determined at the same time, a look that Xena hadn't seen from the woman since they had travelled together. It was a look that Xena recognized, and made heat creep up her neck.

"What is it, Selena?"

Selena chewed her lip for a moment, her emotions warring behind her eyes. She shook her head and stood. "No…I can't. Just ignore me, Xena. I'm talking nonsense."

"You haven't said anything yet, Selena," Xena chuckled as she rose too.

Selena could help a smile. "Then I am thinking nonsense," she said.

"What is it?" Xena repeated. She lifted her hands to rub the woman's arms reassuringly. "You know you can talk to me about anything. I'm your friend, I'm here for you."

Selena closed her eyes at the contact, savouring the feel of the warrior's touch. The heat from her palms burned through the sleeves of her dress and seeped into her skin, setting it alight. Seeing Xena and Gabrielle together, caught in a slow dance had both sparked jealousy that burned like a fire in her chest, but watching had reminded Selena of all the nights she and Xena had entwined in a similar kind of dance; a dance she wished had never ended.

She turned back to the dark haired woman. Her eyes devoured the warrior's features; her high cheekbones, easy smile, smooth tanned skin, black hair that fell around her face like a curtain. But what stood out the most, what lit up her features, were Xena's blue eyes. They promised so much; confidence, protection, friendship, and love. Selena would never forget them, not for as long as she lived.

"You can't be there for me, Xena. Not the way I want," she said quietly.

Xena frowned, confused by the woman's words. "What do you mean? I'm here aren't I?"

"Yes, you are, and I really am grateful for everything you're doing. But I'm talking about here," she said, placing her hand over her heart. Her eyes grew sad as she stared up at the woman she had never stopped loving.

Xena realized what she was talking about and stepped back, standing straighter. "Oh,"

"Yeah. Oh."

The warrior rubbed the back of her neck. She definitely hadn't been expecting this, but she wasn't completely lost to it either. She had recognized the affection in the way she caught Selena looking at her when she thought she wasn't looking since she and Gabrielle had arrived at the town. "Selena, I-,"

"No, please don't say anything, Xena," Selena said, sighing loudly as she sat down upon the boulder Cupid had occupied earlier. "It would only break my heart all over again."

When Xena moved to sit next to her, Selena rested her head on the warrior's shoulders, reminding Xena of someone else close to her heart. "Why does this happen?" Xena said after a long moment of silence

"Why does what happen?"

"Why do we always yearn for that which we can't have?"

Selena drew a deep breath, before exhaling loudly as though she was thinking the same thing. "I don't know, Xena. Perhaps it is a test of the heart? Or maybe it is punishment for something unforgivable we have done in the past?"

Xena closed her eyes. "It wouldn't sound impossible in my case. After everything I have done, I don't deserve the gift of love."

Feeling something brush her cheek, Xena opened her eyes, following the fingers to the owner. Selena's eyes smiled back. "Xena, you may have been lost, walking a dark path, but you are different. What matters isn't what we are, but what we choose to do. It's what you do now that counts." Selena reached up to brush Xena's cheek softly. "You deserve love just as much as anyone else, Xena."

Selena leaned forward slightly to press her lips against Xena's. It was a soft touch, barely a whisper, but in that second Xena felt something descend upon the clearing. She recognized the feeling, but instead of pulling away, she kissed back. She had only meant to convey her thanks for Selena's support, but images of them together in their past, sharing kisses both chaste and passionate, ignited something within the warrior she thought she had long forgotten between them. A familiar heat possessed her as she closed her eyes and reached up to brush Selena's hair away. She pressed harder, her mouth insisting more, and felt the woman react in kind.

The sound of a branch cracking nearby cut through the warrior, snapping her out of the lustful haze that had momentarily taken her. As she pulled away she saw the look of shock she felt mirrored in the eyes of the woman opposite her. They were both breathing hard as they rose to their feet.

"I'm sorry, I…I don't know what happened," Selena apologized, the colour in her cheeks visible even in the limited light.

Xena shook her head. She felt a shiver of foreboding go through her as she looked out to the trees. "No, it's okay. We should be getting back."

~X~

Gabrielle felt as though a hole had been punched through her chest, but she continued to run through the trees, back to where it had been safe, back to where she had lived in blissful ignorance. Gabrielle knew she should have stayed with the caravan. Following Xena had done nothing but tear her heart wider apart, reminding her of the painful reality that she and Xena would never be together. She had been naïve to ever think that.

_Why would she ever want me, when she's got someone like Selena?_ She thought sadly as she stumbled up to a tree. She grabbed its branches for support, held herself up as she fought back a sob that threatened to break her when images of them kissing flittered across her mind. She closed her eyes in an attempt to stave of the painful reminder, but it was as though they chased her, refused to let her hide away from them, and instead attacked her mind.

Some part of her heart had shouted out to her, even after their dance, that Xena had been telling her something important, and that she had to hold on. But all she had learned from it was that Xena would run away, would rather fall into the arms of another, than ever allow it to be Gabrielle. Was there something wrong with her, or was she that unlovable that Xena felt she had to desert her mid-dance, leaving her confused and heartbroken, just so she could be with another? Her eyes began to sting with the threat of new tears at the thought.

Breaking away from the tree, Gabrielle shook her head with defiance as a bolt of anger burned through her. No, she would not cry. She always knew that it could never be. There was no point getting upset about it. Instead she focused her energy on walking back to the caravan as quickly as her tipsy self would allow. There was at least one person she was sure wanted her enough to take notice of her affections. He had definitely been around her enough, displaying signs of attraction.

When she saw him, her lips curled into a carnal smile. Her blood began to boil with a mixture of anger, lust and anticipation as she stared at him while he talked to Juliette. She watched as they shared smiles and words, and felt a twinge of jealousy. She moved away from the trees and headed over to the table near them, reaching for a tankard and filled it to the brim with wine.

"Gabrielle?" Leandros said upon hearing her approach. He looked down at the blonde bard and watched as she filled a tankard with wine, lifting it to her mouth unsteadily. "Gabrielle, I thought you said you don't like wine?" he asked with an amused smile.

"I don't," she replied easily and tilted the contents into her waiting mouth. He watched as her face twisted into a look of disgust and she shuddered, but still reached out for another. After looking her over, he realized she had obviously had enough.

"I don't think you should have anymore."

"He's right, Gabrielle. Maybe you should go and lay down? You can use my yurt if you want?" Juliette offered.

Gabrielle shook her head. "No, I want to forget."

"Forget what?" Leandros asked.

"_Everything_!" Gabrielle slammed the tankard down on the table, spilling wine across its surface. All three were silent for a moment until Leandros stepped forward. He met no resistance as he uncurled her fingers from around the handle, and started tugging her away from the table.

"I think you've had enough, Gabrielle," he whispered gently and got a defeated nod in response. "I'm going to lay her down, Juliette," he said over his shoulder as he started to lead her away towards Juliette's yurt.

He saw the young woman smile, but her face held a hint of an emotion he had not yet seen on her face. He thought she almost looked sad, regretful, as she watched them go. Feeling the bard stumble in his arms, he focused his attention back on Gabrielle, storing away the silver-haired woman's reaction to question later.

"How much have you had since you wondered off and left me earlier?" Leandros asked as he pushed aside the yurt flap.

"I don't know, Leandros…and I don't care,"

"Well," he said as he lowered her to the soft bed of furs piled at the back of the yurt. He sat down beside her and reached down to pull off her boots, one by one. "I think you probably should care. I know what it's like to drink a few and I'll tell you now, when you wake up, you are going to have a _big_ headache. You'll want to blame others, but it'll really be your fault," he chuckled.

"That's not funny," Gabrielle moaned as she covered her eyes with her arm. She could feel the onslaught of a headache emerging already, but she wasn't sure if it was because of the alcohol, or because of what she had seen in the woods. Whichever it was seemed to be responsible for the burn in her heart too.

"No its not," Leandros agreed empathetically.

Gabrielle forced herself up onto her elbows and focused her eyes on the young man sat beside her. He watched her with an alertness which belied the fact that he'd been drinking too. His eyes looked back at her, moving to drink in her features as though this was the first time they were meeting.

"I know what will help," he said suddenly.

"What's that? Removing my head? I already feel like my legs are losing the ability to move," Gabrielle complained.

Leandros shook his head and grinned at the pained look that flashed across her face. "I don't think taking your head off will help, but some water will. I'll get you some. You stay there."

"I don't think I could go anywhere, even if I wanted to," she mumbled.

She watched as he rose to his feet, dusting off his knees, and moved to pour water into a cup. Gabrielle couldn't help but notice how his clothes hugged his body tightly as he moved; allowing just enough give for it to stay on him, but gluing to his frame like a sensual second skin. His light-cloth tunic looked as though it was made of liquid silk and only just fit him; straining over his muscular torso, emphasizing the ridges of his abdominal muscles which were prominent even through the thin material of his shirt. As he moved, stretching up to light one of the lanterns hanging from rafters, she saw his muscles ripple under the material and felt her breath catch, her face flushing with heat.

There was a flicker of light as the candle came to life in the lantern, and orange spilled onto his face, casting the rest of him in shadow until he moved to light another. When he lit enough so that they were able to see a little more clearly, he brought the cup of water back to Gabrielle, resuming his seat in front of her.

"Here you go."

Gabrielle took the water, felt the cool liquid slide down her throat, but it did nothing to douse the fire burning in her chest. As she lowered the cup, she saw his tongue unconsciously sweep gently across his lower lip as he looked at her, his eyes full of lust, and felt her belly clench in response.

She held the cup between her fingers, looking into the empty bottom before asking quietly, "Leandros, do you think I'm pretty?"

The young warrior's eyes grew wide with surprise. She noticed that he seemed to look for something, an answer to the silent question he was asking himself. Whatever it was, he seemed to find it because a second later, he shook his head. "No, I think you're beautiful."

"You do?"

Leandros smiled and lifted himself up onto his knees. Brushing Gabrielle's golden bangs out of her eyes, he could see a strange look in her eyes. She looked sad, dejected. Almost as if she had been crying, or was on the verge. "Yes, I do. I have always thought that, Gabrielle," he swallowed hard at the thickness in his throat.

Gabrielle smiled slightly. She had known that he liked her a little bit; she always felt him near unless he was with Juliette. She had to admit it. Hearing that he thought she was beautiful made her feel a little better, but her heart still ached for the voice she really wanted to hear. "But you hated me before, both Xena and I."

Leandros laughed. "Gabrielle, I…I never _really_ hated you. My life, it's complicated, but seeing you makes it easier to endure." He sighed as he rose to his feet and stared up at the conical opening it the roof. He could see the sky, the clouds drifting in front of the moon to conceal it from his view, but its light still managed to penetrate the darkness. Just as the young bard managed to pierce the shadows that loomed over his heart without effort. He thought it ironic that the ones he had been sent to kill were the ones he would feel instinctively protective over.

He looked at his feet as the realization hit him.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill her, or Xena. He would talk with his brother, beg him to see reason. They had already lost their way, become that which they had despised. How long would it take before they started murdering innocents in the name of revenge? Thanks to Xena and Gabrielle, he had seen that which he already knew. He wasn't a killer; he never had been, and he didn't possess the right soul for it. Perhaps if he spoke with Darius alone, instead of in front of his men, he would see things had changed, as Leandros already had?

"Gabrielle?" he asked quietly over his shoulder. "Do you think I'm a bad man?"

Gabrielle narrowed her eyes as she focused on the blurry image of Leandros. "No, I don't think you're bad. I think you are different."

Leandros turned then and crouched in front of her to listen. "Different? What do you mean?"

Gabrielle reached out to cup his cheek; the heat of his skin burned in the palm of her hand. His stubble scratched against her skin, but she refused to remove her hand. She liked the feel of another in her hands. She only wished she was touching the one she really wanted. Still, as she stared into Leandros's deep blue eyes, she could almost pretend it were her. They were almost alike.

"You remind me so much of her," she found herself saying as she continued to stare. "She was so lost too, didn't know what to think or feel about herself because of her guilt. But she wasn't bad, she isn't evil. You're not evil," she added quietly.

Leandros wasn't sure whether or not Gabrielle was talking to him anymore; her words sounded distant, like she was speaking to someone else in the room. But there was no one else there. He didn't care, however. He could only focus on the way his breathing picked up as a second later; Gabrielle leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

Leandros's world exploded with heat and passion as he closed his eyes and fell into the woman's kiss. He couldn't believe he was kissing her, even as he followed the unfamiliar path her lips created, and pressed back with as much pressure as she did.

Over the past few days, he had only ever thought of it. He hadn't dreamed he would ever get the chance. Some part of him knew that he shouldn't, that he should break it off and back away because she was drunk, but when she moaned into his mouth and brushed her tongue over his lip, the bolt of desire that shot through his body dissolved any rational thoughts he had. Without hesitation, he reached up and slid a hand up behind her neck, tilting her head back for better access, and pressed his lips to her throat, savouring her taste on his tongue.

Gabrielle closed her eyes and knitted her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer to her. She sighed in pleasure as she felt his hot tongue flick over the sensitive skin under her jaw. It was easy to pretend, to replace him with her. She could almost feel the warrior princess in his place, pushing her body against her own, pressing hungry kisses against her mouth as she had a thousand times before in her dreams. If she imagined hard enough, she could almost hear her voice instead of Leandros's as he pushed her down onto the fur bed, telling her of feelings.

Her world darkened in the otherworldly combination of sensations, she felt hot and cold at the same time. She sighed when she felt a gentle kiss against her forehead.

"Xena…" she whispered to the blue eyes she saw as she closed her eyes.

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><p>*backs away slowly with hands raised* <em>Okay, please don't hurt me. This isn't what you think.<em> *looks up* _Well, it kinda is, but before you get to the good, you gotta go through a lot of bad, right? XD_ _There's a lot going on, so just hang in there lol_

_Same disclaimers apply. Spelling/grammar errors, or con-crit? Tell me in a PM please and I'll sort it out :D Thanks for reading. Stay tuned ;D_


	33. Possessed

_A/N: Hey guys! Guess who's back? :D So sorry for the late update, but I've had a lot on lately. Please forgive me :3 Anyway, here you go, I hope you enjoy!_

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><p>Xena was silent all the way back to the caravan. Cupid's words swam around in her head, but her thoughts fell back to the kiss. She glanced up at her quiet companion. Selena was just as silent as she was, seemingly lost in her own thoughts as they walked back. She couldn't blame her. She knew she was confused. Xena certainly felt so. She hadn't meant to kiss her friend back, or at least not kiss her the way she had. Any feelings, however small they had been in the past, had disappeared long ago. Xena's libido was infamous, but she knew how to control herself. Whatever was happening as a result of Cupid's bow breaking mocked her control, made her feel weak. When they had kissed she had felt something invisible press against her, pushing her toward Selena. After her friend's confession of her own feelings, she felt the kiss had not only been a mistake, but may have fanned the flames.<p>

The warrior sighed and scratched the back of her head. How was she going to explain this to Gabrielle? She would find out eventually. After what happened between them with Hope and Solan, they promised not to keep anymore secrets from one another. This was only minor, only a kiss. It wouldn't matter, right? She stared off into the distance, watching the flickering orange flames of the torches as they neared the edge of the woods. Would Gabrielle even care? Either way, she wanted to get it out, but before she could, she knew she had to talk to Selena.

She stopped a little distance away from the clearing, and turned to her friend. She watched as her emotions flickered across her face as she turned with her questioning gaze. Her violet eyes were filled with questions, curiosity, and upon seeing Xena's own saddened eyes – fear. Selena swallowed thickly as she fiddled with her dress.

"Why do I get a bad feeling?" she asked nervously.

"Selena, we need to talk."

Selena's eyes widened slightly. "Uh-oh, I remember the last time you said that. It didn't end very well for me," she chuckled, but Xena heard no humour in the sound. Rather she sounded resigned to Xena's ears, as if Selena had already given up, or knew the conversation was coming.

"My friend," Xena started softly, using the title so Selena would know where she stood. "I care about you, I do, but I feel that the kiss may have led you to think differently."

"I'm a big girl, Xena. I can look after myself-,"

"I know that, Selena," Xena replied gruffly. She closed her eyes and took a cleansing breath. It wouldn't do her any good to lose her composure.

She knew what Selena could be like, and if she still remained how she did when they travelled together, she knew Selena would be thinking about the kiss from all angles, and most likely how she could sway Xena. Selena was smart, and Xena knew it wouldn't take long before the old spark that had existed between them would eventually flame again if she left Selena to her old devices. Along her line of thought, she noted that Selena hadn't looked as shocked as she'd felt at the kiss, only surprised that Xena had broken it.

She turned away from her red-haired friend, pushing her head back to look up at the sky. "I…I love Gabrielle, Selena. Nothing will change that, and even if she never comes to know it, my heart will only belong to her."

When Selena had remained so quiet that she thought she might have left, Xena turned. For a split second, she thought she saw fire burning in her friend's gaze, the flames threatening to scorch her. When she blinked, her gaze returned to normal; her eyes absent of the look that had possessed them earlier, making Xena think that maybe she'd imagined it.

"I know, Xena." Selena was silent for a moment as she tilted her head as though she was listening. "But, I sense that, with the way you left Gabrielle earlier, her own heart is singing a song of its own to another."

It took a moment to understand completely what Selena had said. The words sounded almost jumbled in her mind, and she could have sworn that her friend sounded teasing, almost triumphant. She stepped forward, staring at Selena intently to see any hint of dissembling or lying, but found none but a look that resembled the truth. A strange, painful swirling started in Xena's stomach, bordering on sickness when she imagined Gabrielle with another. She'd vowed she would never force herself upon the bard; for fear that she would scare her only companion away with her feelings, but she had also promised herself that, if Gabrielle were to take a lover, Xena wouldn't get in her way. But an almost unidentifiable rage overtook the warrior, blinding her to her surroundings, and breaking the promise to a million pieces.

Her eyes blazed with a fire that envied the torches that lined the clearing as she set off running back to the caravan. With no other thought running through her mind than to see Gabrielle, Xena ran across the woods, dodging low branches and leaping uncovered roots, and fallen logs. The sick feeling she already felt in her stomach intensified as she broke into the clearing. Most dancers and the caravan had retired, leaving a few many lingering in amorous embrace. Her eyes flitted across them all, looking for the fair face of her best friend. But one that she did see, a person whose face held a pained expression, caught her attention.

"Juliette! Where's Gabrielle?" Xena growled. She didn't mean to, but her heavy breathing and her boiling blood left her with fair little patience to calm her tone.

Juliette's eyes widened slightly, adopting a look mixed with fear, sadness and envy at Xena's approach. She swallowed hard, and it was obvious to Xena that the young woman looked to be warring with herself. She could see it in her eyes. Xena grabbed the Seer's shoulders, shaking her as gently as she could to make her spill the bard's whereabouts.

"_Please_!" Xena pleaded.

The young Seer stared at her for a moment, and without having to utter a word, looked to the yurt that stood beneath one of the bigger trees in the woods. The leafy canopy shaded most of it, giving it almost a natural camouflage away from human eyes. The torches that stood nearby flickered in the slight wind, painting shadows that danced across the material walls. If Juliette had not gestured to it, Xena would have had to look twice to see. She had only been in the yurt once, but in her slightly inebriated state, and the darkness of the night, Xena felt her warrior instincts mocking her.

She released Juliette and made for the yurt, determination and fear of what she might find driving her steps. She didn't hesitate at the entrance and brushed the flap aside, peering in.

Leandros looked up when Xena walked in. He smiled at the warrior, his eyes sparkling. "Xena! I have something to tell you." He stepped closer, running a hand through his hair.

Xena ignored his words. Instead, she took one look at him shrugging on his jacket, and saw Gabrielle's prone form sleeping, tucked under a bundle of furs, and her heart assumed. She grabbed the neck of his shirt and drew him to her roughly. Leandros paled in the lantern light when she focused the full brunt of her glare on him.

"What have you done?" she seethed.

Everything around her, everything in her peripheral looked as though it was melting; the walls, the light. The confusion that messed in her mind scrambled rational thought, and pulsed through her bloodstream like fire. She shook the man in her grip again when he just stared at her with shock and confusion.

"What?"

"What did you do to Gabrielle?"

He frowned. His eyes flicked to Gabrielle and back when Xena growled at him. "We…I, we kissed, Xena, that's all—whoa, _wait_!" he shouted, but it was too late. She was already dragging him out by his neck.

Once they were outside, Xena threw the young man onto his back upon the ground. He fell heavily, the fall expelling the air forcefully from his lungs. While he was winded, Xena approached and snatched his jacket, lifting him to her, and snapped her curled fist forward to connect with his face. The hard impact of skin on skin forced a crack that resounded in the almost quiet clearing.

Seeing the scuffle, a distracted Juliette unfurled her arms from around herself, and rushed over, her eyes wide with fear. The young Seer fell next to them and pushed Xena away, pressing her hands firmly against her shoulders. "Stop, Xena! Beating him won't do anything to help, I know! I've seen!"

Xena clenched her teeth. "What?"

Juliette lifted her own body protectively over Leandros and stared back at Xena, grim determination in her gaze. "I have seen what happens, Xena, and beating him will not help anyone! You need to stay calm…for Gabrielle."

She heard the woman's words, and the warning Cupid had given her echoed at the back of her mind. Their mixed words implored for her to listen to reason – to fight the dark pressure that pressed against her and willed her to deal pain.

She looked down at the young man she straddled and saw him staring up at her; his eyes wide with shock and fear, and holding his nose with one hand. The unshed tears she saw shimmering in his eyes looked to be from pain, and from the force of her punch, she wouldn't be surprised. He looked genuinely afraid of her as he looked up, his face conveying an emotion that made her think that the Angel of Death loomed over him. He looked as though he could see his own untimely end in her eyes. Morbidly, she knew some part of her – some bloodthirsty inkling that still lingered from her warlord days – would love to rip him to pieces for daring to touch what was _hers_. But as she forced herself to take a breath, she blinked and moved away, an audible gasp escaping her lips.

Leandros scrambled back once he was free, his heels kicking up dirt as he moved just in case she thought twice about freeing him, all while holding his nose. She looked to him and saw blood trickling from between his fingers, leaking to drip onto the ground. Xena winced inwardly. She knew she had most likely broken his nose. All the progress she had made with him, she felt it drift away; like dust on the wind.

"I…I'm sorry, Leandros," she said carefully, but he had already began to run away.

Juliette looked torn between staying to watch Xena, and following the man she secretly loved. After seeing the worried expression on her face, and after reassuring the young woman that she would be fine, Xena bid her to follow him, and watched as the young Seer rose to her feet.

"Juliette? I didn't mean-," Xena started.

"I know," Juliette said grimly. She offered a tiny smile and turned to chase after Leandros as he turned out of the clearing, heading back to town.

Left on her knees in the clearing, Xena felt the curious stares of those that lingered. When she looked up, they seemed to find something more interesting to look at, or hid away back in their tents. With a heavy sigh, she rose to her feet and turned. Her heart pounded away in her chest painfully. She had no idea where her rage had come from, but she knew in a few minutes, it was as if she had been possessed.

She approached the yurt slowly. She had stepped in a moment a go, blind with rage, forced to see what she loathed in her heart if she had been Gabrielle's lover. But now, in her calmer stare free of the fury that had driven her, Xena felt compelled to enter the yurt, offering support and understanding, just as a friend would. It was the thing she most hated – to give spoken permission to give the holder of her heart to take another as a lover. But Xena wasn't her lover…it shouldn't matter, yet it did. Her heart felt like it was breaking with every step.

The sound of Gabrielle's gentle snores reached her ears as soon as she entered the yurt again. Despite what had transpired outside, it seemed that the young bard had remained unaffected by any noise. In this state, Xena felt she couldn't hold anything against the woman she loved. No matter how much it hurt. Some days, Xena could still only see the innocent, chatty little girl that begged Xena to take her with her. It was that girl that captured her heart, but it was the woman she had grown into that had stolen it completely, wordlessly claiming it as her own. And Xena gladly yielded it.

The dark warrior sat on the furs beside Gabrielle. The hate and anger she had felt earlier dissolved as she took in the blonde's relaxed face. She looked so peaceful, and by the slight upturn of the corners of her mouth, Xena could have sworn she was smiling. Xena frowned, forcing herself not to growl at why the reason the smile was there. Instead, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. The wine Selena had given her earlier was bubbling around her head.

When Xena reopened her eyes, she gently rested her hand on Gabrielle's face. She brushed the hair away from her closed eyes, and smiled when she felt the young woman move slightly under her touch, as if responding to her, even in her sleep.

"I'm sorry, Gabrielle," Xena started softly. "I know I'm…hard…to be with. That I can't give you what you want, what you need. If Leandros is-," she sniffed and turned away for a moment to collect herself before turning back. "If he is what you desire, then I won't stand in your way." She stroked Gabrielle's hair again, loving the feel of the silky tresses beneath her fingertips. She noticed Gabrielle's eyes flutter as she moved her hair, but though Xena waited to see if she would rouse, the bard showed no sign of waking.

Xena gave a dark chuckle as she continued. "I may have to patch things up with him, stop him from going back to Darius. He won't be happy that I've given his a broken nose. But then, if I do, I'll just end up watching you leave me again to be with someone else. It always seems to happen, just when I think I'm ready to hand you my heart. Then again, it's already yours now, isn't it?" she asked rhetorically. "Of course it is…it always has been."

She stared at the flame trapped within the lantern hanging above them; it swayed and danced, though there was no breeze to provoke it. It reminded her of her own heart. Though it had been closed away for years, shielded from everything that ever attempted to sway it, nothing ever did; until Gabrielle. The young woman had somehow reached in and played with the flame, controlling it with her own will so easily. Now it felt as though the flame was weakening, closing again.

"I cared, before…Borias, Marcas, and Hercules," Xena muttered quietly. "There's no denying that I cared for them in one way or another, maybe even loved them. But I was never _in love_ with them. I still hold a part of them, but you…you hold it all. I love you, Gabrielle. My heart belongs completely to you, whether you know it or not, and it always will," she whispered, willing herself not to cry.

She looked down to her side and saw Gabrielle still fast asleep. When the bard snorted in her sleep, Xena smiled and brushed the back of her fingers against the warm, soft flesh of Gabrielle's cheek. "Why is it easier to tell you when you aren't listening?" she pondered with amusement.

She sighed and, after a quick glance around, took her sword from her back and rested it on the pile of furs beside them. The warrior shifted into a more comfortable position, and laid beside Gabrielle so that she was facing her. She didn't know how long she rested there, but she didn't care. It was when a cold chill broke through the yurt flap she'd left slightly open, that Xena moved to cover herself with the furs.

As it moved, falling away, Xena caught sight of Gabrielle's body and released a sigh of relief when she saw her best friend fully clothed. She pulled the cover back over them both and tucked her arm under Gabrielle's head, pulling her gently closer, and her mouth stretched into a grin. She had assumed when entering before that Gabrielle and Leandros had been together intimately, and when Leandros had tried to tell her that they hadn't, her anger and jealousy had deafened her to his words. She knew she would definitely need to apologize in the morning if she had any chance of saving what strange friendship she had with the young man, though if he never wanted to speak to her again, she could understand. Still, she forced those concerns from her mind.

She listened to the gentle thrum of the drums still playing outside, and waited until her eyes started to become heavy before she moved over the bard, and pressed a soft kiss against her forehead. Hearing the bard mumble her name in her sleep, her eyes flickering open for a second, Xena froze, wondering if she been heard after all. But as her heart stayed suspended, waiting, Gabrielle said nothing else and instead snuggled into her shoulder, reaching her hand up to rest over the warrior's heart as if she held it, even in her dream.

~X~

Leandros didn't stop, even when he heard the gentle voice behind him, calling his name, and willing him to stop. The pain in his face was immense. When the warrior princess had punched him, he'd felt his nose crack, and his face explode in a world of pain. It had felt like he had taken Mount Olympus to his face. Barely moments ago he had been happy and decided; now he wasn't so sure. Though, there had been one thing that had bothered him, if only slightly.

He continued through the trees until he reached the edge, and walked over to one of the water-filled barrels that sat adjacent to a house. Upon reaching it, he submerged his hands into the ice cold water, and splashed his face with it. It stung; the water went up his nose, in his eyes, and the wind against his face almost made him feel as though he would freeze.

"Ah, gods!" he moaned. He leaned over the barrel to look at his reflection. His eyes were already beginning to look puffy, and his nose was most definitely broken. It was crooked, and blood slowly flowed from his nostrils.

"Leandros!"

He turned and saw the figure of Juliette catching up to him. She stood catching her breath once she reached him. "Leave me alone, Juliette," he grumbled. He wet his hands once more in the barrel and cleaned his face and hands of blood, wincing when he bumped his sore nose.

"Leandros, she didn't mean to do it. She didn't-,"

"That's not what it looked like to me!" He turned to face her angrily. He pointed at his face and glared. "Are you telling me she was only trying to tickle me when she broke my nose?"

Juliette's eyes widened slightly when she looked at his face, and a sadness he had not seen before glazed her eyes with unshed tears. When she looked to the floor for a moment, Leandros wasn't sure whether she was crying or not.

"She was just afraid," he heard her soft reply.

He fought to lower his voice; Xena's sudden violence rocked him, leaving him confused and angry. But though his muscles quivered with his righteous anger, Juliette's gentle tone, and obvious distress touched him. Suddenly he just wanted to hold and try and comfort the young woman who had unexpectedly come to mean something to him. "Afraid?" he asked gently.

Both were quiet for a moment. Leandros wondered if Juliette would say what she meant, but he didn't need to hear what he could see in her eyes. The young woman looked away whenever he tried to look into her eyes, gently prodding with his silent prompt for her to continue. "I can't say why, but-,"

"Xena loves her, doesn't she?" he interrupted her.

Leandros didn't wait to watch her expression, but her shocked silence was enough answer for him. He had suspected as much when he had been with Gabrielle earlier. He clutched the rim of the barrel with both hands and looked into the water, watching the gentle ripples he made, and the wavering reflection of the full moon. He could still hear the distant echoes of the beating drums playing back in the woods, the gentle whistle of the wind as it blew through the trees; gently manipulating the branches into a slow, liberating dance. When he had been with Gabrielle, it hadn't felt like she was with him, rather another that her heart truly desired. He had felt her kiss, her touch, but it hadn't been for him, and he knew it.

He should have realized the signs, they were all there. The looks, the words…Gabrielle never took her eyes off the warrior princess, even when it seemed she didn't realize she was staring so lovingly at her best friend. He'd been a fool.

"Did you…um," Juliette whispered haltingly.

He glanced over his shoulder at her. She looked at him, a silent question burning in her eyes. The longer he let the silence reign on between them, the more Juliette seemed uncomfortable by her own enquiry. She pulled her braid forward over her shoulder, and picked at the end nervously; she looked so much like a child, nothing like the woman he had seen when she had first entered the town. She had seemed strong, confident. Now all he saw was a vulnerability that emanated from her like a physical thing.

He guessed by the blush in her cheeks what her question was. What he couldn't understand was why she would want to know. Still, he answered. "No, we didn't. Her heart doesn't belong to me, and I am not so low that I would ever take it while a woman was unwilling, either." He sighed and turned to sit heavily on the pile of logs that resided beside the wall.

Juliette sighed, and he was sure that it sounded like relief. She smiled at him then and approached. "You are a good man, Leandros."

He prodded the end of his nose and winced painfully. "Sure don't feel like it right now,"

Juliette chuckled and pulled a rag from a hidden pocket within her dress, dunked it in the water, and came to kneel between Leandros's legs. Being slightly taller than him, her new place brought them face to face, but the intimacy of the position wasn't lost on Leandros. He clenched his jaw and turned his eyes skyward, demanding his body not react when Juliette steadied herself by placing a hand high on his thigh. But when a jolt of heat travelled through his body and made his belly tighten, he lost the ability to speak.

"You are," she reassured him. She began to gently dab the wet cloth around his face, wiping away the blood that he had missed. "Any other would have taken advantage. You didn't, and that makes you a man." She was quiet for a moment before her brown eyes fixed on his. "Do you love her?"

"I…," Leandros swallowed and Gabrielle's image floated before his mind. He had thought, like any other time he had thought of her, that his heart would start to race, or he'd become breathless. But now, his body didn't react at all. Knowing that she loved another played a part of his new feelings, but he suspected that now the mystery was gone, there was nothing left for his body to wonder about. "I thought I did, but it seems my heart was…wrong."

Juliette smiled and shook her head. "The heart is never wrong, which is why we should always follow it. Yours was just misled; by thoughts, feelings, dreams…wishes? Sometimes kindness can be inadvertently cruel, and because you have suffered in your past, when kindness was shown to you, your heart mistook it for affection, and love. You mustn't be ashamed or angry for it; just happy that you have those that are kind to you, and want to be around you, and that your heart is open enough to feel that kindness so willingly." She bit her lip and washed out the cloth again, bringing it back to his face. "It's true that Xena does indeed love Gabrielle. I think her reaction was more of fear of thinking she'd lost her to another, than any real anger toward you, Leandros."

Leandros noticed that she seemed to have difficulty looking at him properly. He suspected that it had been fear of his anger, but now he wasn't so sure. She treated him with tenderness and care no one had ever bestowed on him, except his mother. He felt warm and protected by her touch; feelings that had long eluded him in the past. He wondered what it was she thought of him, for he only felt confused.

He watched her carefully, deciding to study her reaction to his next question. "What about yours, Juliette?"

Juliette's hand stilled its motions. She didn't look up when she answered. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't expect you to jump to my rescue earlier, nor have I thanked you for it. I guess I was just…surprised a little. But nevertheless," he brushed her braid with his fingers. "Thank you, Juliette."

She smiled in response, and Leandros could have sworn that she was blushing when she looked up to finally meet his eyes. "You're welcome. I did it for her as much as I did it for you."

"What do you mean?"

Leandros noticed a dark look pass over her face then. She continued to clean away the blood on his face. The wet cloth felt cool on his heated skin. "I don't think the warrior princess was herself. I've watched her, heard of her, and what she's done in her past, but most of all, what she's trying to accomplish now. I doubt it would have helped anyone if she'd killed you."

"Gee, thanks, Juliette," Leandros replied dryly. He attempted a smile to alert Juliette to his jest, but the look remained on her face. "What is it? You don't think she would have really killed me, do you?"

Juliette's only answer was to continue gently scrubbing his face.

~X~

The Phantom Goddess smirked as the human approached. She growled as the woman dared to look in her eyes, and glared at her in a way that conveyed that she thought so too. As she knew she would, the human wilted under powerful glare, and looked away, shivering with fear.

_You failed. The Seer stopped her_…the Phantom Goddess hissed.

The woman didn't answer. Instead she wrapped her arms around herself and looked to the woods sadly. "I wish you would leave me alone. Haven't I suffered enough?"

Before she could turn, the Phantom Goddess rushed to her, clutching a cold hand around the woman's neck and lifted her from the ground. Her feet kicked out, but they went through the Goddess's form like smoke. As she started to feel the air begin to leave her, she raked her nails against the fingers wrapped around her neck, but her efforts were in vain and only resulted in the Goddess squeezing tighter.

_I'm not done with you yet!_ The Goddess snarled. _Love is disappearing, but the gods are seeking to replace it. They don't know why or who has caused it, so I still have time. But that pesky warrior and her friends are ruining things for me, and I fear the warrior woman will find out. I won't lie, she has great will and strength of mind, but I feel you are purposely failing me. _She glared at the human_. Do you want me to release your soul of its torment? _

"_Yesss_," the woman's choked reply came. Her eyes were beginning to roll back from her efforts to stay conscious. "More than…anything!"

The Goddess sneered at the pathetic, desperate tone in the human's voice and released her, letting her drop to the floor with a thump. _Then you better find a way to get rid of them…before I do! If not?_

A piercing scream sliced through the woman's mind then; past torture ripped her memories from their dark recesses, bringing them forth into flesh, and surrounded her. The faces of the ones she loved and lost surrounded her with expressions of pain and sadness, their eyes blaming her. She clutched the sides of her head and bent over on her knees, rocking back and forth at their condemning stares and the screech in her mind.

"Please, stop it! Please! I will…I will!" she screamed.

The Phantom Goddess stopped her mental torture and smiled cruelly. Reaching out, she forced the woman to look up, and with a voice as cold and cutting as an icy blade promised, _The next time you fail me, your soul is mine!_

* * *

><p><em><em>Same disclaimers apply. Spellinggrammar errors, or con-crit? Tell me in a PM please and I'll sort it out :D Thanks for reading. Stay tuned__


	34. Love and Loss

Gabrielle snuggled into the warm softness that pressed against her. Creeping along the thin line between dreaming and reality, she decided not to open her eyes. Instead, she focused on falling back to sleep, but her mind took note of her senses – senses which had been blinded and disabled, and were receiving a rude wakeup call all at once. Her stomach clenched with a sickly warning, and the sounds that reached her ears were far too loud for the morning. She grumbled, thinking the birds outside might as well be in her head for all the noise they were making. She had been drunk before, but she couldn't ever remember waking up with the pounding that raged on inside her head like now. Moaning quietly, she realized her mouth was hung dry and scratchy – like she'd had it open all night. Ignoring the way the earth spun when she moved, Gabrielle forced herself into a sitting position and immediately brought a hand to her head as if it would help.

"Ah…_gods_," she groaned.

She noticed, with relief, the silver tankard sat upon the table nearby and reached up for it, careful not to move too fast. Each move, however slight, seemed to rock her, threatening the ground to crack beneath her. The cold water was a welcome comfort and offered escape from the ache in her temples, however temporary. It helped some, but the cottony sensation remained in her mouth. She had hoped to go back to sleep and get rid of the vestiges of her hangover. But as Gabrielle started to lie back against the furs, something touched her back.

Turning, she gasped at the sight of the six foot dark warrior laid out beside her, her eyes closed, and her breathing deep and steady. Xena's long body was tucked under the furs, her front exposed when Gabrielle's movement disturbed the covers.

_How did Xena get here_? She asked herself, narrowing her eyes in thought.

Gabrielle held her breath when the warrior murmured something and snuggled deeper into the furs. When she didn't wake, the bard smiled gently and lay back down, facing the warrior. As her eyes roamed over Xena's peaceful face, she felt her heart lift and race with affection. She wished she could see this kind of peace in the warrior more often. The sullen, brooding look that made itself known on the dark warrior's face was a permanent fixture, but at least it seemed to have lightened a little since the first time she'd set her eyes on Xena. The first time she'd seen her, Xena's face had held defeat, self-loathing, and hate that just broke her heart. Now, whenever Gabrielle set her eyes upon the warrior, Xena looked at her with the unmistakable look of happiness, hope and love that made a warmth spread throughout her body.

_You look so peaceful, so beautiful when you sleep, Xena_, Gabrielle thought. _I wish I could make you look that happy all the time._

She reached out with a shaky hand, a side effect from the amount of wine she'd consumed, and carefully brushed away the hair that fell across Xena's cheek. She hadn't meant to, but her fingers grazed the warrior's cheek ever-so-slightly, prompting her gently awake. Gabrielle watched as her friend's eyes fluttered open and fell upon the bard, glinting slightly in when they caught the light.

"Morning," she said, her voice thick with sleep. The corners of Xena's mouth up in a tired smile.

"Morning,"

"How's your head feel?"

"Like it's been run over by a chariot, backed up over and then run across again," Gabrielle muttered mournfully. She turned to look up and squinted as the morning light trickled in through the conical opening in the roof's peak. "It's so bright. I'm beginning to suspect that Apollo knows I'm hung-over and is tormenting me."

Xena's mouth felt dry, and she knew it had less to do with the alcohol she'd consumed the previous night. As Gabrielle moved to shield her eyes her long hair fell around her face; the sun filtered through the strands, illuminating them, making it look as though the bard's hair really was made of gold. As she looked up, the sunlight kissed her face, diminishing the circles under her eyes, and gave the bard a fresh-faced look. _Gods…so beautiful _Xena thought. She had to fight to keep her hand to herself when the impulse to run her hands through that hair grew strong.

"Perhaps you should learn your limits?" Xena chuckled when she noticed Gabrielle's green eyes staring back at her.

"Or maybe I could just not touch a drop again?" the bard complained.

Xena shrugged, yawning. "Either way,"

Gabrielle laid back and moaned aloud when the sun shone in her eyes. She covered her eyes with her hands, but her heavy limbs and lack of energy fought against her, pulling them away. Xena watched the young bard struggle with her hangover and smiled.

"Here," she said quietly, taking care to not add more cause to heighten Gabrielle's pain. She pulled the furs over them both until they lay completely beneath, shaded from the light and encompassed safely within the warm confines of the fur.

"Thanks," Gabrielle said ruefully. "I feel so weak." She snuggled into Xena's shoulder, resting her head in the crook between her neck and shoulders, and sighed contently. "Much better,"

Xena smiled at the bard's actions, and though they caused her heart to flip and break at the same time, she didn't discourage the closeness. The painful pleasure of having the woman she secretly loved in her arms, but could never have, was a price she would gladly pay to make sure she stayed there.

"How much did you drink last night, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle felt her stomach churn at the sound of drinking. She frowned into the warrior's neck. She didn't want to talk about last night, about how much she'd drank, or even how she'd come to be in the yurt. The only thing she wanted was to stay exactly where she was. She wanted to stay pressed against the warrior, wanted to memorize the scent of Xena's skin and the feel of it against her own. She wanted to remember the gentle pulse of Xena's heartbeat as it beat under her fingertips when she brushed them across Xena's heart.

They had slept together before, shared a bedroll, but something felt different. Though neither had said or done anything, there was something definitely different, and the change, though invisible to both, was there. When they had shared a bed before, they had huddled together for warmth. The contact had been platonic and careful, never more than what it had been: survival. But now it felt as it had before when they had first started travelling together. She felt a sense of awkwardness, of hesitation in her touch; Gabrielle almost felt uncertain when touching the warrior. She wasn't sure when the last time would be, so she let her touch linger. Things had shifted, but the exact pinpoint of her change and the development of her feelings was inscrutable. All she only knew was that her heart wanted more than to cuddle up to Xena just for warmth. It was no longer acceptable to her anymore.

Gabrielle grumbled and pressed herself closer. "I don't know…I," she squeezed her eyes tight to provoke a memory; any that would help her remember how much she'd had. But while she was searching, a completely different memory to one she expected assaulted her mind.

Gabrielle, her fingers in another's hair, her lips wrapped around theirs as she pulled them closer, and a carnal groan ripping from her own throat as her arousal heightened. A flash of blue. Her eyes flew open. That was a dream…wasn't it? She rubbed her head. _Who was that?_

Feeling the bard tense in her hold, Xena looked down. She kissed the top of Gabrielle's blonde head and smiled. "Gabrielle?"

"Hmm?"

"You okay?"

Gabrielle nodded wordlessly. "I think I just had a weird dream, that's all." She moaned into Xena's neck. "I don't wanna get up. I'd rather stay here all day until my body stops feeling as though it's punishing me."

"It's self-inflicted, Gabrielle. You're going to have to get up at some point and face the day," she chuckled.

"Why aren't you suffering?"

Xena paused, listening to the way her heart pounded away in her chest in reaction to the bard's innocent closeness. She fought to control her breathing when Gabrielle's lips brushed the muscles of her neck when she spoke, but the task was near damn impossible when the thought of touching them with her own ran through her mind. The bard's skin felt soft as she brushed her calloused hand over it, the warm flesh supple and almost silky. She swallowed hard when Gabrielle leaned up on her elbow to look down at her expectantly, her breasts accidentally brushing the back of Xena's hand.

_I _am_ suffering!_ Xena thought darkly.

"I just know when to stop," she said. Xena cleared her throat and frowned. "I drank a lot in my youth; I know how much I could take before it consumed me. Being a warlord, I had to keep my wits about me, even when drunk. To do that I had to know when too much was too much. If I hadn't…well, I wouldn't be here. I'm sure someone might have tried to take advantage of my drunkenness and stood against me if they hadn't been sure that I could handle myself."

Gabrielle pursed her lips and nodded. "Oh, well…okay, I guess that's a good reason," she grinned. She lowered her head to Xena's shoulder again and a thought passed through her mind. "Maybe you could teach me?"

"Teach you what?"

"How to handle my drink," Gabrielle laughed and moaned when the sound vibrated through her head painfully.

Xena snorted. "I thought you wanted me how to vault a horse?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that." Gabrielle smiled and snuggled closer. "Are you still going to teach me?"

"How to vault a horse?"

"Yeah,"

"Depends," Xena said.

Gabrielle mimicked Xena's trademark arched eyebrow. "On?"

"Well, if I can remember correctly, I promised that if you could knock me down, I would teach you. You have yet to do that,"

"Do you know how hard it is to get you on your back, Xena?" Gabrielle asked dryly. Seeing Xena grin widely, heat rushed to Gabrielle's face as she realized the double entendre of her own words. "I mean, uh-,"

"I know what you meant," the warrior chuckled, although, she had to admit the thought of Gabrielle forcing her onto her back made her heart squeeze and her blood burn with desire.

They fell into silence, their thoughts chasing Gabrielle's innocently spoken words. As Xena fought to keep her heart steady, Gabrielle was attacked by another drunken memory. Bits and pieces rushed back to her, assaulting her mind. It didn't hurt, but trying to interpret what she was seeing proved annoyingly painful. She closed her eyes and tried to see, but it was no use.

"What happened last night, Xena?" she rubbed her head. "All I can remember is dancing…then,"

Xena and Selena…kissed.

Xena glanced down at the bard's abrupt silence. "What?"

Gabrielle bit her teeth together and forced herself into a sitting position, moving away from the comforting warmth of her best friend's body. She pushed the fur away and moved to stand, taking caution with her movements. Her body felt heavy and weak at the same time, and the earth still spun. "Nothing," she replied flatly.

Xena frowned at her friend's behaviour. _What happened_? "Gabrielle?"

"I just…it's nothing." The bard looked at her feet; fighting back the tears she felt stinging in her eyes.

She remembered. Remembered seeing the two women together, both locked in what had looked to be a passionate kiss. Some part of Gabrielle had hoped that she would finally be able to address the warrior with her true feelings. The wine had given her courage to be bold, to act on the subtle desires her heart held. But she hadn't acted soon enough, hadn't uttered a word of her heart and she'd been too late, leaving Xena in the arms of another.

Gabrielle looked over her shoulder at the warrior and her heart skipped a little at the curious look the warrior was giving her. "I need some air. You were right, Xena. I need to get up and…face it," _That you'll never be_ _mine_; she finished sadly in her mind. She offered the warrior a smile, and without another word, stumbled out of the yurt and into the blinding sun.

~X~

"How is your nose?"

Leandros jerked forward, his eyes flying open at the voice, and splashed when he moved to cover himself. The silver haired woman stood in the doorway, a shy smile on her face as she looked at him. She was stood a good distance away from the tub, but her eyes on what she could see of his naked form made his blood burn with embarrassment. "_Juliette_? I, um, I…it feels sore," he stammered.

Juliette nodded in understanding. "Have you been to the healer yet? Perhaps he could reset it for you, give you some herbs to fight the pain?"

"I'll be alright; I've endured broken bones before." Leandros cleared his throat and looked at the woman. "What…what are you doing here?"

Juliette's eyebrows arched. "I wanted to make sure that you were alright."

Leandros puffed out his chest. "I told you, I'm fine. The pain will go away soon." He brushed the bridge of his nose gently and pain lanced through him, forcing his eyes closed with a wince. "Hopefully anyway."

Seeing Juliette step forward, her eyes filled with concern, Leandros lifted his hand to stop her. "Please…I'm alright, Juliette,"

"What are you afraid of?" she smiled, unaffected by his efforts. She continued to him, a smile lifting the corners of her mouth. "I have seen men undressed before, Leandros. Nothing is different."

Leandros stared at her, watching carefully as she moved to sit on a stool by the bathing tub. She kept her eyes on his as she lowered her form and leaned an arm on the rim inches from his. He looked at his arm; saw the tendrils of steam rise from his flesh to disappear into the cool morning air. He had washed before in front of people before, but they had all been men back at camp, and nobody had paid mind to each other. It was different in front of Juliette. He felt like an embarrassed young boy again. His movements were awkward, and though the woman looked away when he washed, he still felt her eyes on him.

"What do you want to do then, Leandros? Leave your nose to heal by itself? You may find yourself worse off for it."

Leandros brushed his hands through his wet hair. "Have you seen it…Seer?"

"Yes, you will have a crooked-," Juliette paused and looked at him, eyes wide. "What did you say?"

"When you spoke to Xena yesterday, when you were holding yourself over me, you said you'd seen her beat me before, though she never had. It struck me as an odd thing to say. But it set me thinking about what it could mean. Then I knew. As soon as Xena backed off, I knew what you'd said had to have some truth in it." He looked at her dead in the eye. "You're a Seer, aren't you?"

The fear was evident in her eyes. It was obvious he'd scared her. When the woman started to back away, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. Her pulse quickened under his fingertips.

"I must go-,"

"No, please!" Leandros blurted.

Juliette stared at him, and though she looked scared, she made no move to pull away. She looked at him expectantly. When the pain of having his arm extended over the tub grew too much for him he let go and sat back. He brushed his fingers through his hair again; the water ran down his face, dripped into the tub, the sound breaking the dead silence that had developed between them.

"I…I won't hurt you, Juliette. I know that Seers don't have the best reputation, but…" he trailed off.

He didn't want to tap into the hurtful memories, the ones that haunted him and kept him up at night. The ones that broke his heart into pieces and made him curse his very existence, but he didn't want to turn his back on another as he felt he had with _Her_. He knew that if he could go back and change everything, he would have, but he couldn't and the pain from knowing that cut him deep. Perhaps he could show the kindness his father hadn't and protect another Seer from the same fate that had befallen the one he'd loved the most.

He had almost told Gabrielle the truth when they had sparred, but the pain the memory dredged up squeezed around his heart like a fist. Juliette was one and the same as what She had been; perhaps Juliette could comprehend the pain?

Leandros sat up a little straighter. "Juliette? You don't need to be afraid of me, and if it makes you feel any better, I won't tell anyone about you." He looked up so she could see the sincerity in his eyes. "I couldn't hate you, even if you are a Seer."

She seemed to relax a little at his words and Leandros smiled as she sat back down beside the tub. "Why? Everyone else I have met have shown fear or evaded me."

Leandros closed his eyes as the pain rocked his heart. "My…mother was a Seer."

"Your mother?"

"Yes, and she was…murdered…for it." Hearing Juliette gasp, Leandros looked up. "My father threw her out when I was a boy. She was already weak. The winter he threw her out of the house was the harshest we'd ever had in the village. The thick snow covered everything; there wasn't a single thing in sight that differed from the next, and the houses looked like they had been built out of the snow itself. Looking out from my bedroom window, I remember thinking that the village had been covered by a giant white blanket." He smiled at the memory. "My brother, Darius, had said that it was the gods showing us that everything had beauty. He wanted to remind me that, though the village we lived in was cramped and smelled of fish, it could still be beautiful.

The land we lived on resided in the middle of valleys that lead to the sea, so we were tucked away. I can remember…the shore had iced over. Darius and I would challenge each other to see which one of us dared to go the furthest before the ice gave in under our weight. It never did, but we should have tried it. Looking back now, we weren't exactly smart children"

Juliette laughed. "It's what children do; test boundaries."

"Perhaps," Leandros agreed, and then grinned wryly. "But we possessed an exceptional ability to attempt the stupidest things. We ignored the boundaries and created our own. Mother didn't like it. Whenever she saw us out there, walking along the thin ice, she'd panic and shout for us to come in. There was one instance that convinced me that her panic wasn't just something solely motherly. That it was more."

"What makes you say so?"

Leandros clenched his jaw. "Because whenever she saw us, she would only shout and we would return. The last time she shouted, she ran to us, tears in her eyes, as though we were already dead. She ran out onto the ice and grabbed us, dragging us back onto the land and scolded us both. The fear in her eyes had shocked me, but what had scared me was that, moments later, the ice had cracked and collapsed. The fear that had appeared in her eyes at that moment I think scared us both."

Juliette turned to give him privacy as Leandros rose out of the water. He grabbed a towel and wrapped it around his waist, lifting his hand to touch the necklace that permanently adorned his neck. Seeing him fiddling with it, Juliette approached and looked at it herself.

"That's a lovely necklace," she said, eyeing the trinket carefully.

"It was for my mother. She died before I could give her it to wear. It was meant to be a present, something to tell her that I wouldn't tell of her Sight, and that I still loved her." He took it between his thumb and forefinger, lifted it to his mouth and kissed it. "I intended to give her it after she explained to me and my brother what happened. Her fear of death if she was discovered broke my heart. I wanted to show her that I would love her, no matter what she was."

My father was a warlord, and Seers were feared like a plague. The night my father found out the truth, he grabbed and dragged her through the house. Her screams echoed through the halls and woke me and Darius up." He frowned, his lip quivering with the effort of fighting back the tears that allowing the memories that he'd kept locked away loose provoked. "He threw her…he just took my mother, and threw her out into the snow, slamming the door in her face and condemning her. When I tried to let her back in, my father reminded me who was in charge and I received a backhand to my face for my troubles. Too scared to do anything else, I could only watch as she sat out there wearing nothing but her slip, slowly freezing to death."

His eyes finally released the stinging tears. They trickled out onto his cheeks and he swept them away as soon as they fell. "I didn't sleep that night. Instead, I stayed at the window, my mother and I staring at each other, crying for the other. She was barely inches away from me, separated by a window, but the distance that divided us could have been a mountain for all the help I was."

He felt Juliette take his hand, her face twisted with sadness, and the threat of tears in her own eyes. "It wasn't your fault, Leandros. There was nothing you could have done."

Leandros shook his head. "I snuck her back into the house when father got drunk and passed out, but I should have done it sooner. I was too late. She'd been left her out there too long…and she got sick. Pneumonia. In the end, that and heartbreak was what killed her. I…killed her-,"

"No!" Juliette shouted, taking his shoulders and shaking him gently. "You didn't kill her, Leandros! Your father did! You are a good man…you are, I can see it. You are made for greatness, not darkness. You couldn't have helped her sooner without getting yourself killed in the process."

Leandros stared at her; the fire that blazed in her eyes made his heart race. She looked so adamant, as if she was willing him to listen and believe the words that she spoke, and as she did, he found himself doing so. Her genuine concern for him moved him like no other had in years.

He smiled gently, reaching down to caress her cheek with the backs of his fingers. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, whispering words of comfort that were meant to calm and balm the open wounds on his heart. With every smile, every word she spoke, he found himself falling as though into some unknown, nameless void. It wasn't painful. Instead, the unknown called out to him, beckoned invitingly for him to fall into the depths of the dark brown eyes that looked back at him.

Without a word, he took a step closer and pressed a gentle kiss against the young Seer's forehead, his lips lingering longer than he intended upon touching her. "Thank you, Juliette," he said, his voice breaking slightly with emotion. "For listening. I've never told anyone that before."

She smiled back up at him. "You're welcome, Leandros." She tilted her head slightly then, her eyes narrowing. "I still think you need to see the healer about your nose. Unless…you want it to heal crookedly?"

"Is it true that if I don't, it will set that way?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll see him when I am clothed," he said quickly, a quirky smile curving his lips. Leandros paused for a moment, amazed that he had revealed so much to someone who was virtually a stranger, yet felt like a close friend. "I meant what I said, Juliette. I will keep your secret. My fear kept me from protecting my mother, but I won't have what happened to my mother happen to you too; I won't let you die in vain for something that you can't help being."

Juliette's eyes shined with unshed tears. "I knew you'd say that."

* * *

><p><em><em>Same disclaimers apply. Spellinggrammar errors, or con-crit? Tell me in a PM please and I'll sort it out :D Thanks for reading. Stay tuned__


	35. Leaving

The image replayed in her mind, over and over until she felt her heart sink with the heaviness it produced. After a few minutes of walking blindly through the forest, her thoughts elsewhere, Gabrielle found herself at small glade where a clear stream cut through the grassy knolls. The area was part of the forest that surrounded the town, but it seemed like a separate part of it; as though she had stumbled upon a secret hideaway. The place looked beautiful. Tall trees flecked the area; their trunks covered in healthy moss and the waist high blades of grass created a mystical image of a green garden beautiful enough to be made of the gods. Colourful flowers dotted the area, adding brightness to the natural canvas, but did nothing to chase away the darkness Gabrielle felt pressing down on her heart.

She wrapped her arms around her legs and leant her chin on her knees, looking out at the stream and watched as the clear liquid bubbled around the scattering of pebbles lying piled along the bed. She released a sigh as soft as the breath of wind that gently ruffled the grass surrounding her. She wondered if Xena had tried following her, or if the warrior would even see her hidden away from view. But she knew better. Of course Xena would be able to find her. The wall of grass at her back gave her the illusion of camouflage, but Xena was an expert tracker. If she wanted to find Gabrielle, it would be easy. The reason she hadn't come was because she didn't want to. The thought did nothing to reassure the ache the bard felt in her heart, and only resulted in her wrapping her arms tighter around herself for comfort.

She closed her eyes and saw them again, their lips touching in a passionate kiss, both women elsewhere as they let themselves be taken away. Why couldn't she have that? Why couldn't Xena love her that way? Touch her that way? She had dreamed it – wished it, but now it felt completely impossible. The warrior princess had never shown any sign that she wanted the bard the way Gabrielle wanted her. Why should she? She wasn't like Selena. She didn't have as much history as the innkeeper seemed to have with her. It seemed she was only destined to be a friend rather than a lover. At one time, Gabrielle would have been happy with just that. Now, however, the concept did nothing more than tease and torture her.

"What's wrong, Sweet Pea?"

Gabrielle jumped at the voice and looked up, her head turning quickly to the source. The image of the blonde Goddess of Love, a sad smile and eyes filled with sympathy; sat beside her both shocked and comforted her. Without a word, the bard released a sniffling cry and fell into the arms of her immortal friend.

"Aphrodite!" she cried. "I…I don't know what to do,"

Aphrodite stroked the blonde's hair gently as she cried into her. "I know, Gabrielle. I know."

Gabrielle looked up. "You know?"

"Sweetie, love is my speciality. Do you really think I didn't know that you love the warrior babe?" The goddess smiled and wiped away the tear trailing down Gabrielle's cheek with her thumb. "I've known for as long as you have. Longer actually. It's meant to be."

Gabrielle leaned back, shaking her head and wiping her eyes. "No, it's not. How can it be? She doesn't love me, Aphrodite."

"Oh, and she told you that herself, did she?"

"She didn't need to. I saw all I needed to last night."

When Gabrielle looked away, Aphrodite clutched her heart when she felt pain lance through her. Gabrielle's heartbreak was making her own hurt, and though she didn't think it possible, the love in the young bard's heart was being replaced by emptiness and darkness. She could feel it dwindling away into nothingness. It scared her. It felt too much like the darkness she had seen with Cupid as they'd scoured the land trying to make sure that love still existed.

"You didn't see anything, Gabrielle. Nothing more than what you think you saw," she said reassuringly.

"Aphrodite, I'm not blind. I know what I saw!" Gabrielle stared out at the stream, watched the water move around the sticks and rocks that sat in it. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head and reached out to touch the water. "I've come to terms with it, Aphrodite. She'll never love me back. I understand that."

The goddess stood and frowned, resting her hands on her hips with as much energy as she could muster. She felt herself getting weaker and weaker by the second, but she was determined to talk some sense into this girl before she was forced to leave. It was the least she could do with the last of what she had. She felt herself being called back to the safety of Mount Olympus. She had to hold on.

"Jeez, Gabrielle. Have a little mercy would ya? You're killing me here. All this talk of coming to terms and never being loved? Woman, you're supposed to be a bard, aren't you?"

Gabrielle nodded, surprised by Aphrodite's sudden burst of energy. "Yeah,"

"Then get up and dust yourself off. You think what you wanna think; sweetie, but it won't make it the truth. A bard has gotta at least know a little of the truth before they start extending it, right?"

Gabrielle frowned. Her head already felt heavy and messed up, and the goddess's senseless ramblings weren't making her feel any better. "Aphrodite? No offense, but sometimes, I don't understand you."

"Think about it, Gabrielle. Has Xena ever told Selena that she loves her romantically?"

"No, but-"

"Ah-ah, let me finish," the goddess interjected, holding up a perfectly manicured finger. "You pride yourself on being a good listener, Gabrielle, but have you really listened to anything Xena's said lately? A heart can hear another crying out to it, but sometimes you've got to listen carefully to be able to hear it."

Before Gabrielle could ask what the goddess meant, Aphrodite smiled and clicked her fingers, disappearing in a burst of hearts before her eyes and left the bard feeling more confused than ever.

As she started walking back, her mind lingering on the goddess's words, Gabrielle couldn't help but remember noticing how different Aphrodite had looked. The normally vibrant, happy and immortally beautiful goddess had looked fatigued. Almost as a human would after days without rest. The discolouration under her eyes had given Gabrielle the impression that Aphrodite had missed out on too much sleep. The thought both intrigued and worried her, but not as much as her words did.

~X~

Aphrodite collapsed into her chaise with a heavy sigh. She held her hand over her heart and closed her eyes. All she could do was hope now that the bard would heed her advice and finally listen to her heart. The goddess had always decided to leave Xena and Gabrielle to work it out themselves, but with the way things were and the dire need for love that she needed to feel whole again, she couldn't wait any longer. Interfering was not something she believed in, but a little guidance wasn't too much, was it?

She opened her eyes and lifted her arms, waving her hand in front of her until a disc of light appeared before her. She watched the image of her little friend as she walked back toward the town, a confused expression upon her face, but thoughtful eyes.

"It's up to you two to figure it out for yourselves," Aphrodite said quietly.

~X~

Leandros pulled the bag further up his shoulder. He'd packed what he could under the circumstances. The threat of being caught kept him on his toes and his nerves constantly tingling with fear. After his talk with Juliette, he'd finally decided what was more important to him, and if he was to save it, he couldn't stay in Dreyas. He knew he was betraying Xena and Gabrielle by leaving, but he knew that the only way for him to get what he wanted and to straighten things out was to go back to where he'd come from. The trip to Dantorix had resulted in a straightened nose and a harsh fall back into reality.

Sensing someone walking by the inn, Leandros crept back and straightened his back against the wall, waiting for them to pass before he slinked out. He hadn't seen Xena or Gabrielle all morning, and after the amount he'd seen them both consume, and the warrior princess's violent outburst the night before, he figured he wouldn't see them. Or at least he hoped he wouldn't. He didn't know if he'd be able to handle Xena's heavy questioning, and dreaded having to endure her legendary pinch if she was still angry.

Once he was in the trees, he ran and ran until he fell into a comfortable gait, only listening to the rhythmic pounding his boots made as they hit the ground, and the sound of his heavy breathing as it echoed in the still air of the early morning. He never looked back as he passed the many trees in his way and jumped the small cliffs to get back onto the path. As he returned to the path that he knew could ultimately send him to his untimely end, he felt his chest when his heart throbbed at the absence of the people he had come to know, and maybe even genuinely care for. But he had to do this.

He had to.

~X~

Xena sheathed her sword after her routine sharpening when she saw a familiar face. It wasn't that she'd seen her looking tired and stressed that caused the warrior princess to feel concerned. It was the expression the woman wore, the haunted look in her eyes and the unsure stance that made her still in her tracks for a second before approaching.

"Rough night?" she asked, smiling carefully.

Selena didn't answer at first. She seemed far away for a moment. Like she hadn't heard Xena speak at all. When Xena placed her hand on the redhead's shoulder she jumped slightly, breaking out of her staring trance. She looked up and smiled.

"Sorry, I was leagues away. What did you say?"

"I was just wondering if you had a rough night. You look a little tired," Xena said, concerned.

Selena stifled her yawn with her hand. "You could say that. I didn't go to sleep until late, but I'm fine. What about you? How did things go last night? I heard you gave the young man travelling with you a broken nose. Is it true?"

Xena looked away for a moment, remembering her outburst towards Leandros. Guilt filled her and she found herself wondering where he was. She hadn't seen him since he ran off last night, the young seer following closely in his tracks. She would have to find him later to explain herself. Her behaviour shocked even her and she still remained somewhat disbelieving that it had even happened because it only hit her twice as hard that it wasn't the first time she'd lost her temper, or her control since being in Dreyas.

"It was an accident. I didn't mean to do it. I'll talk to him later and try and sort this out."

"What about, Gabrielle?"

Xena's stomach tightened at the mention of the bard's name. "Gabrielle?"

"Yes, is she alright? After the amount she drank last night I'd be surprised if she could walk straight," Selena chuckled.

"Yes. I think so."

Selena's eyes narrowed slightly. "You don't sound so sure," she pointed out.

Xena rubbed the back of her neck, frowning when she remembered the young bard's strange behaviour that morning. "She seems a little…_distracted_," she said for lack of a better word.

Selena started walking away, looking out toward the town centre. Crossing her arms, she leaned on a fence nearby and stared at the temple. "She did seem a little strange this morning when I saw her, but I'd say she looked more upset and distracted."

"You saw her? Where did she go?"

Selena shrugged. "For a walk, I guess. She didn't notice me wave to her. She seemed pretty out of it. Don't look so worried, Xena," Selena said when she looked back at the warrior princess. "She probably just needed some air to get rid of her hangover."

Xena nodded in agreement but she knew when there was something really bothering Gabrielle. Everything had been fine until she'd tried remembering what happened the night before. Was she embarrassed by something she'd said or done? Had she regretted the too intimate dance they'd shared? Thought surrounding what could have troubled Gabrielle swirled in her mind until she started torturing herself.

"Xena, you're doing it again."

"Hmm?"

"You're blaming yourself for Gabrielle's upset, aren't you? Don't lie."

Xena joined her friend at the fence and leant her back against it. "It's not just that. There is a lot that I'm trying to make sense of at the moment. I'm just making sure to keep on top of it all."

Selena reached over and placed her hand gently on Xena's forearm, smiling reassuringly. "You will, Xena."

At that moment Xena stood straight and pulled out her sword. The sound reached her ears before she saw the owner. When the young seer came bursting around the corner, her face distressed and her voice shaking as she spoke rapidly, Xena rushed to her.

"Xena, you've got to….gone, he's gone….Xena?" Juliette rushed out breathlessly.

"What? Calm down, Juliette. I don't understand-"

"Leandros!" Juliette almost shouted.

Xena held the woman's shoulders. "What about him?"

"He's gone!"

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><p><em>Hey guys! Sorry for being away so long :( Uni life sucks away my freet time DX This chapter is only a short one this time, but I feel that it's a step toward setting up for the conclusion, and I wanted to get different POVs and thoughts. I hope you enjoyed reading it - the next chapter will be up soon :)<em>

_As usual, if you have any Con-Crit or spot any spelling/grammar issues, please inform me in a PM so I can make ammendments :) Happy Reading!_


	36. Cause and Effect

**Merry Christmas Everybody! :D**

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><p>When Gabrielle returned to the town centre, her eyes were drawn to the small group of people that stood around outside <em>The Rose<em>. They seemed to be talking, their heads close and a look of worry upon their faces as they listened to whatever the dark haired warrior was saying. She watched Xena as her hands moved around in the familiar gestures she had gotten used to when Xena gave orders to people. Amongst the few listening were the ones they had come to know: Selena, Juliette, Krateros and Silas, who stood a little distance away, watching. Looking closer Gabrielle realized the noticeable absence of one particular person; someone who had flashed in her mind, present as fuzzy images from the night before. She hadn't seen Leandros this morning, and though she knew his background and his involvement in Darius's plan, Gabrielle had come to care for him. Despite the dark influence of Darius and his men, she knew he had a good heart, even if he seemed willing to deny it in favour of retaining a harder presence. He confused her, but like Xena, she wasn't prepared to give up on him due to his own lack of self-esteem and self-worth. She knew that if she had done the same to Xena she never would have grown to love her the way she did.

Gabrielle's eyes shot to Xena. She watched with growing interest and ardent love as Xena reached out as she spoke to Juliette. The woman seemed upset about something. Although they hadn't really spoken since she arrived, Gabrielle still felt responsible; as she did every other person she wanted to help. Whatever it was, Xena seemed slightly distracted by it too. As she started in their direction, Gabrielle's eyes remained on Xena. She watched as the dark woman moved, noted every time the muscles under her skin rippled as she gestured outwardly, or the way the blackness of her hair soaked up the sun, or the rays glinted off her armour.

She looked magnificent. So strong, so beautiful and determined and sure in the way that she moved. There was no wonder that Gabrielle found that she couldn't help but love her. There was no way out for her. There had never been a way to escape Xena's love or the enigmatic energy that surrounded the warrior, and even if there had been Gabrielle wasn't sure if she would have wanted to. Somewhere along the way she had unintentionally given into the strange but sure draw that Xena seemed to unconsciously give off. But now that she had fallen, and fallen hard, she didn't know whether she would be able to pick herself back up if everything went as she feared.

Aphrodite's little talk with her – brief and puzzling as it had been – had given Gabrielle something to think about, giving her time to muse about everything that the goddess had mentioned. She'd dissected every word, listened from all angles, but each time, Gabrielle would come to the conclusion that Aphrodite was trying to tell her that Xena loved her…the way she did her. It was unbelievable. She had thought about it, dreamed even, that the warrior princess would one day reciprocate her love, but only if she allowed herself to dream in dangerous territory. She'd stayed on the side-lines, remained quiet and tight-lipped when Xena had been approached by lovers – past and potential, in the fear that to speak up would have been to reveal her true feelings. It had cut her deeply every time each of them had laid their hands on Xena, touching her in an almost possessive way. Each time they had looked at Gabrielle, seen the ire behind her eyes and smiled in triumph before walking away, but not before silently staking a claim on the warrior for their own and reminding Gabrielle that the warrior would never be hers the way she desired.

But perhaps things could be different? Maybe there was a way to reveal her feelings in a subtle way so that they would no longer be a burden on her own soul, and she would be able to get her answer one way or another without embarrassing herself or risking their friendship. It was strong, she didn't doubt that, but would it still be the same if she told Xena her heart?

She placed a smile on her face, forcing her heart to stay steady as the approached the small group. "Xena? What's going on? Where's Leandros?"

Xena breathed a sigh of relief as she turned and saw Gabrielle had returned from her walk. Seeing how distracted and upset she was earlier that morning, Xena decided that leaving her to her own thoughts would be better than interfering. Gabrielle was complex sometimes and allowing the bard time to think worked more than pushing her for answers. Xena had learned patience over the years, and by the gods, since meeting Gabrielle she knew she'd exercised it more than she ever thought she would with a single human being.

"Gabrielle? He's gone."

Gabrielle frowned, glancing over at Juliette who she noticed looked more upset than everyone else. "Gone? Do you mean he's…?"

"No, he's not dead. He just left. We're planning on bringing him back."

"How do you know he's left? Maybe he-"

"He left, Gabrielle," Juliette interjected quietly, though her voice sounded on the verge of tears. "Before he did, he spoke about following his heart to set things right and facing his shadows."

Gabrielle looked to Xena. "Well, isn't that a good thing? He knows what he's fighting for and what sort of man he is now."

"But it's the man he is that's going to get himself killed," Xena replied carefully.

"What do you mean?"

"He isn't a fighter. He hasn't got it on him to harm another. Walking back into Darius's encampment is going to get him killed." Xena looked around at the group; saw them watching her intently as she spoke. "I've known Leandros since he was a child, Gabrielle. I told you about the time that my army destroyed Darius's village, right? Well, Leandros was there too. They're brothers."

Gabrielle's eyes flew wide. "Leandros is…Darius's _brother_?"

"Yes."

"Then…how? Why?" Gabrielle felt her stomach roll sickly when a thought struck her. "Darius sent him to kill you, didn't he? That's why he attacked us. Do you think it was some kind of payback?"

Xena shook her head. "No. Leandros was never violent. Not even as a child when he stood up to me. He chose words instead of weapons. My guess is that Darius was trying to change his brother's attitude by sending him to kill me. It was an initiation…and he failed." She frowned faraway at the entrance to the town, silently contemplating a plan in her head. "Going back to face that and reveal the truth to Darius is what is going to get him killed. Unless we stop him."

Gabrielle nodded carefully. "I agree. But then that means that we're going to have to leave the town." She glanced at the redhead standing near her. She'd known she was there, but looking at the woman after what she'd seen last night felt like too much for her, even after the goddess's words. "What about Selena? She needs protecting."

"That's where I come in," Krateros, captain of the guard said. He smiled gently at Gabrielle as he stood straight beside Selena. "After hearing your predicament with your man, I have offered to watch over Selena and her tavern in your absence. All of my men are trustworthy and have watched over her efficiently already. No harm will come to her. You have my word on my honour, Xena."

Xena stepped forward and clasped his forearm. "Are you sure it will be no trouble? Since arriving, no one has attacked her. I just hope that leaving temporarily will not act as an opportunity for them to come crawling out of the woodwork and finally show themselves when I'm not here."

"We are strong; it would not be a burden, Xena. She will be under constant supervision. She will be safe."

When Krateros patted her arm and she let go, the captain stepped back and nodded to Selena. As soon as Krateros left, leaving a handful of his men stationed at points far enough away to give her privacy, but close enough to keep an eye on her, Selena drew closer to Xena. Noticing her friend's sudden hesitation and strange expression, Xena looked to her.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Are you sure about this, Xena? Leandros is just one man…he's part of a band of men trying to kill you. What makes you think that he won't turn around and try the same thing again? Why try and save him? Please, stay here with me. I don't trust Krateros. He seems…strange."

Xena frowned and she and Gabrielle exchanged a quick look of surprise. "That's funny. I don't get that impression from him, and I'm normally a good judge of character, Selena."

"What if you're wrong? What if he can't protect me? I don't want to die, Xena!"

Xena rested her hands on Selena's shoulders and smiled. "Selena, relax. I trust the captain. He seems like a good man. I haven't detected a single false note in any word he has spoken to me. I have no doubt that he will be able to protect you when I'm gone."

"What? You mean you're still going?" Selena's eyes turned hard. "Xena, I don't trust these men. You _can't_ leave me!"

"I understand that you're scared, but I feel that you're safe for now, Selena. The only one that could have done you any harm is already dead, and the brother from the temple; the one that is being tried for killing Moris, and his brother are both being held in the captain's cells." Xena smiled gently to try and soften the strange look in her friend's eyes. "If there is anyone else, the guards will capture them long before they get to you."

"How can you be so sure?"

Xena nibbled her lip as she looked around. Smiling suddenly, she turned Selena until her back was to her own chest. "Look closely, Selena. How many guards can you see?"

Following Xena's orders, Selena scoped the area. "I count five."

"Correction; there is thirteen watching over you," Xena said as she turned her back around until she was facing her once more. "There are some in the trees and some near the buildings. See? They're well hidden. Any potential attackers wouldn't be able to get to you without being seen first by the captain's men."

Gabrielle noticed something in Selena's eyes suddenly changed as she appraised the tall warrior. Her stomach clenched as the red head lifted her hand to gently stroke Xena's cheek. She considered looking away, unable to endure a bond Gabrielle knew she couldn't match, but when Xena lifted her own hand to remove Selena's, showing no signs of attraction or romantic love, Gabrielle felt her heart smile, if only a little. Ignoring her friend's spurned look, Xena stepped back, re-joining Gabrielle and Juliette.

"You are going to be fine, Selena. I swear. Juliette is going to be with you." She turned to the young seer next to her. "Aren't you, Juliette?"

Juliette did her best to smile past the pain she felt with Leandros's absence. Xena could empathize with her. There was nothing worse than the absence of the one that your heart belonged to, and the pain that came with knowing they were walking into potential danger.

"I can stay with you, Selena, old friend. I don't mind keeping you company. I'm sure Silas would like to keep you safe too," she said, indicating the silent man stood a small distance away, still watching them.

Selena frowned at the ground. "I see there is no changing your mind, Xena. But I suppose you know what is best, even if I don't like it."

"Thank you, Selena. We'll be back as soon as we are able. They will take care of you, Selena. Don't worry about that. Gabrielle? C'mon. We need to get Leandros before he goes and does something stupid."

~X~

It was a long way back. He knew it would be. Even as the moon started to rise in the sky and daylight faded, obscuring his vision and creating shadows. But he had to go. He had to keep moving on. It was his only option anymore. He had to go and see his brother. It was either that or wait for Ivan to return, and he would be damned If he was going to wait around so that son of a bitch could return and mar him again, scarring him as he always had since he'd joined Darius's cause.

Ivan had always been relentless and ruthless, but something about him had changed. Warped his mind and made him seem a little more twisted than usual. While Leandros had been a teen, Ivan had constantly tormented him, poking and prodding fun, or beating him as a way to toughen him up. It seemed only recently that his methods had turned to madness. Using weapons with sharp edges had been his way of getting his point across lately, instilling fear into Darius's subordinates, and pecking Leandros further down the chain until Ivan had successfully managed to gain his brother's favour and a place at his ear. Ivan had always struck him as a man to be feared, even when he'd tried not to, but lately Ivan seemed crazy.

Leandros tripped when his toe nicked a jagged stone sticking out of the ground. He fell quickly. The ground rushed toward him, but well placed hands prevented his face from hitting the hard ground. His throat itched; dry from lack of water and the dust listed from his walk, his feet were sore, and his stomach was cramping with hunger pangs. He didn't know how long he'd been walking, but upon looking back he saw the small silhouette of Dreyas as the moon hung above it, if he had to guess his position, he would almost say that he was halfway between places, right where he met Xena barely a fortnight ago.

As he unrolled the threadbare sheet he'd stolen from the healer's house along the soft grass, he pondered. Things had changed considerably since those first days. H had been ready, or as ready as he thought he'd been, to kill the mighty and feared warrior princess. He'd known somewhere at the back of his mind that he wouldn't have succeeded. He couldn't have. She was a powerful and strong woman. He'd known when he'd taken on the challenge that to try and kill Xena was a suicide mission. He had been prepared to die when he had been captured. His life had been so empty. He'd already lost his family, he was losing Darius to his own vendetta, and his life within the camp was like living in Tartarus. Letting Xena kill him would have been an easy and welcome way out. Now, however, things had changed.

He turned onto his side and used his arm as a cushion. In a strange way, by sparing him but keeping him as her prisoner, Xena had allowed him some freedom to roam, letting him learn during his time in her hands, and observing her ways. Many parts of her still remained a mystery to him. She confused and amazed him. Her will was strong, her mind wise and experienced; he was sure that her little protégé, Gabrielle, felt the same way too. Though things seems complicated enough where they were concerned. Being with them, he had watched the woman that many had claimed to be a killer, a murderer, and saw nothing but a kind and caring woman. He had known her as a child, but even then, as bad as she had been, he had sensed that there was good behind her evil façade. He'd seen it in her eyes the first time he'd asked for her help. She could have easily beaten him, smacked him away. But she hadn't. Instead, she'd helped. Even then he'd known that the good called out for her to follow – she'd just needed a hand to hold and keep her steady, and Gabrielle, it seemed, was that steadying presence she needed.

He chuckled to himself. He'd been silly and deluded to think that he'd had a chance romancing the woman that was so clearly Xena's soulmate. The bond between them was so tangible that he could almost touch the invisible thread that tied their lives together so strongly. There was nothing that he could have done or possessed that would have given him even a fighting chance to have her for his own. But then, he knew that he couldn't have her. Not because she wouldn't allow it. No. His heart whispered another's name, one that he'd been surprised to hear. She had been there all along, speaking words of wisdom, keeping him grounded, advising, protecting and healing his heart as well as his body without needing to be asked or prompted. She had done it simply out of her own kindness.

Juliette

He grinned and rolled onto his back, twining his fingers behind his head. When had she done it? When had she enchanted his soul, possessed his heart and given him something to fight for? Maybe she had seen it coming all along? She was a seer after all, just like his mother. His initial instinct was to protect her, wanting to succeed where he had failed before, but even before then, something had shifted between them. He had just been too blind to see it. Was that what love was? Blind?

Love?

Was it love that he felt? He wasn't sure if it was or not. He had thought that he loved Gabrielle, but it turned out to be a kind of romanticized view on the protective role she seemed to have developed once he's stopped trying to hurt her feelings and allowed himself to open up. He still felt something for her. Leandros touched his chest, felt his heart beating…normally. Its rhythm was steady, paced. However, when the image of the young seer floated into his mid, he smiled and felt his heart begin to pick up. What he felt did not feel like what it had with Gabrielle, but something stronger. He wanted to be with her now. He wanted to be sure that she was safe. He had seen her every day she had remained in the town. Being away from her felt odd. Like he was missing some vital part of himself.

He wondered as he looked up at the stars that dotted the sky whether she felt the same? Had he read the signs wrong again? He was sure that there was _something_ there. He felt guilty for leaving without informing her first. He hadn't wanted to cause any unnecessary problems. But as he'd snuck away, watching from the town arch, he'd spotted the seer arrive at Dantorix's house, no doubt looking for him, and then leave seconds later, her face concerned and her eyes filled with doubt. It had hurt him to see it, but he had felt it a necessary price for what he was going to do.

For the first time in years he had something to fight for, friends, a cause…love, and by the gods, he was going to fight for it!

* * *

><p><em>Thank you for reading, everyone :) I hope you liked reading this chapter. If there is any issues regarding spellinggrammar, or if you have con-crit, please don't hesitiate to inform me in a PM so I can make ammendments :) The next chapter will be up soon x_


	37. Poisonous Mind

At first light Leandros woke and carried on his way. With every step he felt his confidence dwindling. How was he going to do this without getting himself killed in the process? His fear fought to make him turn and go back to the only place that had actually been a safe place for him for the past week, but his resolve urged for him to continue.

However, when the encampment came into view just a short walk away, the sight filled Leandros with dread. His stomach rolled sickly, his body already anticipating the consequences of what could occur if he were to take those first steps through it. He looked around and saw most of the men he had grown up with sat around the campfires, sat upon fallen logs, poking the flames either in boredom or cooking their food. At the other end of the camp Leandros clocked a few of the more aggressive members blowing off steam. They wrestled each other, showing no mercy as they threw punches. He watched with rising fear as they gained various cuts and bruises in their quest to outdo each other with their testosterone-filled displays of strength. Leandros didn't envy them. He knew too well what it was like to get caught up in the sparring matches the others took part in. He'd been unfortunate enough to be dragged into many against his will, beaten to a bloody pulp as the band's weak punching bag, and thoroughly beaten anyway if he refused to take part.

Opting to stay away from them he scouted the camp for the tent he was looking for. His hiding place restricted his view to most of the area but by a stroke of luck he managed to spot the green and silver silken flag. It waved easily in the breeze just beyond a small grassy rise. It was easy enough to see, but the way to it was far from. Many guards patrolled the paths. It was as though security had increased in his absence. As he moved quietly among the bushes, Leandros wondered whether his brother had become suspicious since he'd left. Darius wasn't normally over protective of himself. He wasn't afraid. So why the extra guards?

Slinking away from behind a sleepy guard, Leandros stayed low and moved lightly, moving with speed until he reached Darius's tent. The two men stationed outside talked, completely distracted. They had their heads together as they talked and ate, one leaning lazily on the spear he was using more as a support than a weapon. Leandros held his breath and flattened himself against the tent, keeping his eyes on them until he backed into it.

The inside was warm, and as soon as he stepped in a strong smell of lavender and other perfumes permeated the air and assaulted his nose. It wasn't overpowering. No. The scent was more nostalgic than anything. It pulled at his memories, taking him back years before when he lived at home with Darius and their mother. Back when things had been simpler.

~X~

"What are you doing, mommy?"

The dark haired woman smiled fondly as she looked down at her son. He was only small and could barely look over the table top. His fingers gripped the edge and his nose poked over, his eyes searching as he stood on his tip-toes to investigate. He watched as she continued to thread the needles through the wool. It was rare that they could afford to buy new material to create clothes. The money they did have went toward funding his father's army. They normally got to spend what was left over which, after the men had been appropriately fed and watered and all their weapons bought, wasn't much. Still, it was enough and his mother knew from experience how to make the best of what they had. He'd walked into the kitchen plenty of times and found her knitting or stitching something.

"Mommy?"

"I'm making you a hat, Leandros. See?"

She lifted what she'd done already to show her son. He smiled and gasped excitedly, his eyes brightening with enthusiasm. "That's for _me_?"

"Yes, son. Do you like it?"

He shook his head eagerly, reaching out. He frowned when she pulled it away with a chuckle. "Not yet. It isn't finished, Leandros." She looked around briefly. "Where is your brother?"

"Darius is outside. He's catching dinner."

The dark haired woman looked at her son, surprised. "He is?"

"Yeah." Leandros pouted and crossed his arms. "He won't let me play, mommy. He said I'm too small. I'm not small, am I? I'm bigger than the fish! I could catch them easily!"

His mother laughed at his bluster and stroked his cheek. "Oh, son, you will soon learn that it doesn't matter how big you are or how small something else is. It takes skill and practice to be able to do something well. That includes fishing. Darius has been practicing for a long time."

Leandros lifted himself onto the wooden chair beside his mother and sat heavily. "It's not fair. I wanna be bigger so I can practice like big brother."

He looked up at her and caught her loving smile. "You will, son. Some day you will be big enough. But don't be so eager to grow up so quickly."

"Why not?"

"Because when you get bigger, everything becomes harder."

"Why?"

His mother's laugh rang in the morning air. She looked at him; he caught the twinkle in her eyes as they caught the sun. "So curious? And at such a young age too. Everything becomes harder when you grow older because the gods challenge us. They give us trials to overcome. It's a way to see which of us are strong enough to cope with the life given to us, and it is so we can worship them."

"Must we worship them, mommy?"

His mother paused for a moment, lowering her task on her knee. "Leandros? When you ask for something what do you say when you are given it?"

"Um…_thank you_?"

"Precisely. Worshiping the gods is like saying thank you for what they have given you."

He stopped to think about that for a moment and stilled. He closed his eyes and thought really hard, imagining the gods he had been told of in his head and very quietly whispered, "Thank you."

"What were you saying thank you for?"

Leandros opened his eyes and grinned at his mother's curious face. "I was saying thank you to the gods for giving me you."

His mother gasped. He noticed her eyes suddenly filling with tears and her quivering lip. He touched her hand, confusion worrying his features. "Mommy? What's wrong? Did I do wrong?"

She placed the knitting needles and wool on the table and pulled her son to her. His arms immediately circled her; his nostrils filled with the mixed scent of lavender and oil that was very distinctly his mother. As he cuddled to her closer he heard his mother sniff tearfully.

"You did nothing wrong, Leandros. I'm just thankful that I have you. You and your brother."

"What about daddy?" he inquired curiously.

She didn't answer. Instead, she sat back and brushed his hair back gently with her hand, smiling through her tears. "I love you, Leandros. Promise me that you will never change. That you'll remember what is in here?" she asked, placing her hand over his heart.

Her request sounded strange and confused him but he nodded nevertheless. "Yes mommy."

"That's my boy." She wiped her eyes. With one quick movement she pulled him onto her lap and turned him toward the table. "There you go. Now you can reach."

Leandros reached out for the hat. "Almost done?"

"Almost," she agreed.

He waited patiently upon her knee until he finally grew too tired to keep his eyes open. When he did finally reopen his eyes, the daylight outside had faded into early winter darkness. He could see nothing in the deep blue; nothing but flakes of snow gently whispering against the shutters left ajar or fell to build up against the sill outside. The candles placed at intervals around his room were all left untouched. All except one; its flame flickered every now and then, coaxed into a burning dance by the cold chill seeping in from outside.

He moved to sit up and felt something fall from his head. The woolly hat fell in a little pile in his lap. The material felt soft when he brushed his fingertips against it. He smiled excitedly at the object; it was as though he had a small piece of his mother with him. The slight smell of lavender and oil lingered within the fibres and tickled his nose, comforting him as he listened to the shouting of his parents downstairs and felt the sudden disquiet in his heart.

"_Leandros_?"

~X~

Leandros opened his eyes. The woollen hat was centimetres away from his nose. The material he held in his hands was worn – threadbare from years of use and age. He couldn't believe that Darius still kept it; much less that it had survived everything they had been through. The smell of his mother was long gone. All that remained now instead was the smell of smoke, blood…death. A scent he had grown too familiar with since her passing.

"Leandros?"

He jumped at the sound of his name being said and turned quickly, still holding the hat tightly within his grasp. "Darius?"

Darius frowned at him, the healed scars around his eyes and cheek deepening with the wrinkles that years of worry, tiredness and stress had created. He let go of the tent flap and approached his brother curiously, his steps a little shaky and uneven. "Is that really you? You look so…_different_," he finished, gesturing to all of him.

With a smile Leandros reached up and brushed a hand through his hair. "Yeah, a couple of things have changed."

"Indeed. Look at what you're wearing. You almost look like a common peasant." Darius released a relieved breath and pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tightly. "Thank the gods you're alive! When you left I thought for sure that you'd died, or something had happened to you. When you didn't come back, I thought the worst. As time wore on I started to believe…"

"Well, I'm here," Leandros interrupted Darius trail of thought.

Darius moved back and smiled. "And I'm glad of it."

Leandros watched his brother move away toward the table at the back of the tent. It didn't escape his notice that he had to lean against the surface as he grabbed a silver pitcher and poured some strong smelling wine into a beaten tankard.

"Wine?" he asked over his shoulder.

Leandros shook his head. "No thank you, brother. I had some quite recently and it did nothing for my state," he chuckled.

Darius narrowed his eyes at his brother's face. "Yes, I was going to ask how you got the bruises around your eyes. Did you bump your nose?"

"I-…it was a…minor misunderstanding. Nothing more," Leandros replied flatly.

"Understood." Darius moved to his chair and fell into it, his wine sloshing around in his tankard. "Ah, gods," he complained.

"Are you alright?"

Darius scrubbed a hand down his face. "Hardly. I feel like I've taken one of Zeus's thunderbolts to my body, and he wasn't holding back."

For a moment, all thoughts of trying to put things right and explaining his change of heart toward Xena and her companions disappeared. Instead concern for his brother filled him. Upon first impression anyone would think that he was fine. His brother was normally a strong, brawny man; a result of their adopted lifestyle. But Leandros knew his brother enough to sense the difference. He looked more slender and his cheeks had gauntness to them, as though he hadn't eaten in days. It was strange to think that his brother looked so differently already. He had only been gone for a week but it was as though he'd been gone for months. But then again it was immeasurable how much could change in so little time. He himself had changed in so many ways that sometimes, it scared him.

He approached and pressed the back of his hand against his brother's forehead. "Darius you're burning up. What is wrong with you? Have you been eating right?"

Darius frowned and pushed his hand away. "Don't coddle me, brother. I'm fine."

"It doesn't look like it," Leandros disagreed.

"Are you a healer now, perhaps? Learned a few tips while you've been away, hmm?" Darius snapped. He opened his eyes long enough for Leandros to notice the strange unfocused look in them.

"Darius? We need to talk."

"I expect we do. I'm surprised you managed to escape with your life, Leandros. Xena is a formidable woman. I'm proud you manage to complete the mission given to you."

"That's the thing." Leandros took a deep breath. "Brother?"

~X~

"Xena? Do you think he's gone back to his brother? After keeping him away so long it would make sense that it would be the first place he'd run back to, right?"

Xena carried on walking. She kept her eyes trained for signs of travel. She'd kept a distracted sort of attention on Gabrielle's questions as they moved. She knew they were being followed but by who, she still didn't know, only that they were making more noise than they ought to be if they were out to kill or ambush them.

"Yes, that's what I'm thinking," Xena replied.

Gabrielle sighed. She could tell something was up. Xena looked around constantly as they walked, her eyes darting toward the trees every now and then. She wondered if the warrior princess had picked up sounds with her keen hearing that she hadn't. All she had heard since leaving the town was the wind blowing through the trees or the occasional animal sounds.

"What are we going to do when we get to him?"

"Try and get him alone so I can apologize and keep him from making the same mistakes his brother did. The last thing I need is another warlord baying after my blood."

"Hmm, tell me about it. I wish for once that we could have a normal day and relax. Just the two of us."

Xena paused and looked over her shoulder, smiling. "What?"

Realizing what she'd let slip, Gabrielle looked away to prevent Xena from seeing the way her blood coloured her cheeks. "Oh, I just meant…us and…Argo, y'know? A day off from saving the world every now and then couldn't hurt, could it?"

"Maybe not," Xena agreed. Her eyes darted toward the trees once again when she heard another sound. "Gabrielle? Come here."

Gabrielle tensed at the quiet order but she didn't hesitate. Her already boiling blood burned hotter when Xena looped her arms around her waist and pulled her to her body so that her back rested against Xena's chest. "Xena? What are you-?"

"Shh. The bushes. Listen," she whispered.

They both remained quiet. Following Xena, Gabrielle listened carefully. At first all she could hear were the mixed sounds of nature. But after a while her ears picked up a sound that shouldn't have been there. The sound of a dry twig snapping under pressure, the hint of a cry – not an animal cry, but one of a human - breaking on the wind.

"Someone is following us," Gabrielle stated.

"Yes. They have been since we left the town," Xena whispered back.

"Who do you think it is?"

"I don't know yet. Quickly!"

They hustled over to the side of the road and hid in the tall grass between the trees. With that and the cover of dawn's shadows, they were easily concealed. Minutes passed by. Before Xena decided to start moving again a figure broke out from the trees. The woman stumbled about, yawning and moaning. It only took a second for both women to see her before they realized who it was.

"_Juliette_?"

Taken by surprise Juliette gasped loudly and jumped back. When she finally recovered Juliette squinted at them. "Xena? Gabrielle? Is that really you two?"

"Yeah. What are you _doing_ here? You're supposed to be back at the town with Selena."

Suddenly, Juliette's eyes widened and she started to whimper and cry. "Oh gods!"

Xena frowned. She grabbed the woman's shoulders and shook her as gently as she could. "What? What is it?"

"I had a vision, Xena. It's about Leandros. He's going to get himself killed!"

"A vision" Gabrielle inquired. "Are you a mystic?"

"No, a seer," Juliette answered tearfully. She looked to the taller woman imploringly, gripped her forearms pleadingly. "Xena, we need to stop him!"

Xena glanced at Gabrielle and they exchanged a look of worry. "Did you see who did it?"

"No, I only saw a blade sticking out of his back."

"Son of a bacchae!" Turning on the spot, Xena led the way down the path they had originally been following just moments ago, now with more purpose in their steps. "_C'mon_!"

~X~

He glanced down at the small hat in his hand and brushed his thumb across the material, hoping to gain whatever strength he could from it. Gods know he needed it. Talking to his brother had become somewhat of a difficult task over the years, what with the negative influences of the men he'd hired over the years, and the trouble it took trying to get him alone. The ones that had claimed to follow Darius's campaign against the warrior princess had been the most dangerous, and bloodthirsty mercenaries they'd managed to find. Watching his brother spend time with the men he'd sensed that he'd adopted some of their dark attitudes. He didn't know how to address his brother anymore. The kind and caring young man he had been seemed to have died the day Xena's army had inadvertently destroyed their village. But maybe he could save him – implore to the humanity that still remained within his brother and coax him away from the life of death.

"What is it?"

"Brother? Xena…she–she is still alive."

The cup stilled inches away from Darius's lips and he sat up further in his chair, his eyes suddenly becoming more focused. "What happened?"

"Well, she isn't evil, Darius. I couldn't do it. It would have been murder if I'd have killed her in cold blood. It wasn't what our mother taught us."

"Then what have you been doing for the past week?"

Leandros fiddled with the hat. "Just staying with them. I've learned so much. If you would just sit down with her and listen you'd know she's changed as they say," Leandros implored.

Darius stared at his brother for a long minute, sipping at his wine as he contemplated. Leandros didn't know what his brother was thinking, but whatever it was seemed to have been undertaking serious thought. After he downed the rest of his wine Darius played with the cup, rolling it in his hand and looking into the bottom.

"I was surprised when you agreed to go when you were nominated to do the job," Darius said quietly.

Leandros looked down, ashamed that he'd ever considered it, even after he'd known the truth. "I know, but it was your wish, brother."

"No…it wasn't."

Unsure of whether he'd heard him right or not, Leandros glanced up and saw a strange look in his brother's eyes. He looked haunted by something as he stared blankly at the cup.

"What do you mean?"

Darius sighed. He lowered the cup, resting it upon the arm of his chair and looked at him. "You are my brother, Leandros. I didn't want you to go. It was just that..._ugh_!"

His words suddenly broke off in a cry of pain. The tall man curled in on himself, struggling to draw breath, and clutching at his head as though something were inside it. Something painful. Leandros could do nothing but watch, confused and concerned as Darius bent and coughed until it turned into a hacking fit.

Then, just as it looked as though Darius was going to get better, Leandros watched as his brother's face twisted into a look of disbelief and disgust. As he rose out of his chair, brandishing the tankard he held over his head as though he was going to throw it, Leandros took a step back. He braced himself for the object to hit him. However, when he saw something flash in Darius's eyes and heard the groan of pain before he clutched his side, Leandros ran to kneel before his brother.

"Darius? What's wrong? Brother?"

Darius looked up. His expression was torn; it looked as though the muscles in his face refused to comply with what he wished. Leandros couldn't tell if he was sad or angry as his brother struggled internally. He could only watch and listen to the pain whimpering coming from the man before him.

"Leandros…?"

A shock travelled down Leandros's spine. The way Darius said his name sounded so innocent, so free of the pain and guilt he'd carried with him over the years since their village's massacre that he felt like he was a child again, listening to his big brother give him chores or asking if he wanted a story reading.

"What's wrong with you, Darius? Tell me!"

Darius reached up and grabbed his shoulder, squeezing hard. "Something wrong, Leandros. Bad…feel sick all the time." He closed his eyes as though he was exhausted. "Just want to sleep…"

"Broth-"

"What's going on here? Leandros?"

Leandros felt his blood turn to ice when he recognized the voice. He turned his gaze to the man standing in the tent entrance. Ivan stood in the threshold with two other brutish looking men, a dark smirk upon his face. "You! I'm not going to lie to my brother anymore, Ivan! Darius? _Brother_, he almost killed me the other night. He threatened to kill me...I-,"

"Go ahead. He can't hear you, boy. He's too far gone," Ivan laughed.

"What?"

Leandros looked down at his brother. Darius's head hung forward, concealing his face from view. But as Leandros lifted it he saw that Darius's eyes had glazed over. He looked as though he was passed out, but he was still holding himself up effectively. However, when he tried to get his brother's attention, Darius would not move, speak, or show any signs that he even knew Leandros was there. It was as if he was a husk of the person that he was. A shell.

"What have you _done_ to him?" Leandros shouted, his voice trembling with anger. His blood burned when he glanced up at the silver pitcher filled with wine. "You _poisoned_ him!"

Ivan drew his sword and lifted it before his face. He looked into the blade's reflection, his voice assuming a tone of indifference. "It was necessary."

"For what?"

"My plan. Did you really think I was going to stay second behind your worthless brother forever? It was inevitable that he would grow weak, become sympathetic to you or forget his cause. I knew a while back that he was losing his way. He even told me that he didn't want to fight anymore – that he was getting tired of chasing Xena. The fool! I had to do something."

Leandros sprung from his place on the floor and flung himself at Ivan, but he never got close enough to throw a punch. Instead, at the first sign of an attack the two men charged, grabbing and holding him in place, leaving him to struggle, their arms like vices; tight and unyielding. While Leandros fought to free himself of the two bulking men holding him, Ivan never moved, still looking at his reflection as though Leandros had never tried to attack him.

"You _bastard_!" Leandros spat. "You didn't have to poison him! Why couldn't you just let him go? He doesn't want to fight anymore! Why kill him?"

"I couldn't just let him go. He would have ruined everything. And the poison won't kill him. Not straight away anyway. It just kills nerves…feelings, pretty much that kind of thing until he dies eventually. He's practically brain dead right now."

Leandros watched with rising fury as Ivan casually strolled over to his brother, knelt by him and grabbed Darius's hair, wrenching his face up so they could all see him. Darius looked back at them with unfocused eyes, a gaunt face and a gaping mouth. "See?" Ivan smiled.

"Get off him!" Leandros shouted, tugging desperately at the arms binding him.

"The poison is almost undetectable. With your brother being as simple minded as he is, it wasn't that much of a chore to feed him it," Ivan spoke on as though Leandros never said anything. "You know yourself that he'd developed a drinking problem, so it was easy. Sprinkle a bit in his drink every now and then and he wouldn't notice. I was getting tired of this slavery thing. He never kills, and we never captured Xena. The men were getting tired. In case you haven't noticed, they hate Xena almost as much as I do. It was only a matter of time before they would want to revolt. Luckily for them, I had that idea in mind already and they looked to me; a proper leader of men, to guide them. They follow me now. But _you_?"

Ivan lifted his sword, narrowing his eyes in concentration as he carefully placed the sharp tip at the pulse on Leandros's neck. Being unable to move, the blade sliced cleanly through the surface layer of skin. Though it wasn't deep enough to be fatal, Leandros still felt his hot blood trickle down his throat and over his collarbone.

Ivan pulled the sword away. "No, I won't kill you yet. I never thought you'd really kill the warrior princess. You don't have the balls for it. You're too _gentle_ for a man's task," he sneered wickedly, enjoying the flush of anger that filled Leandros's face. "I've got something else in mind for you."

Before Leandros could fight further, Ivan lifted his sword, and with a quick jerk, brought the hilt of his sword down hard against Leandros's temple, making the world go black.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks for reading! Please, if you canhave the time, drop me a review to tell me what you think. Until next time!_


	38. Seeing With New Eyes

Gabrielle watched as the young woman moved slowly, her steps uncalculated and her walk heavy, as though she carried a weight. Seeing Juliette like this, she empathized. Xena didn't need to explain the love that the woman had for Leandros. It was as plain as day on her face. What had given it away had been the way she had turned into an absolute wreck when she'd mentioned seeing him dead in her vision. That was another thing. Xena rarely kept secrets from her when it came to something important. She would have thought that the fact that Juliette was a seer would have been important enough to tell her, right? It boggled her mind when she tried to think of why she hadn't told her. But then again, the warrior princess worked in mysterious ways.

She glanced over her shoulder to where Xena stood alone, her back to her and her face lifted skyward as she stared up at the sun. She believed in Xena's skills as a tracker, but it seemed that there was something that was stopping them from moving on. It worried Gabrielle. Seeing Xena confused didn't serve them well.

Although the situation was serious, Gabrielle couldn't help but notice that she felt a little lighter. Basking in the sun's warming rays and being outside of Dreyas made her feel somewhat happier. She didn't know what caused the change, only that she felt relieved by it. Juliette however, seemed not to notice any change. For the first time since meeting her, Gabrielle saw an expression of pure grief and worry on the woman's face. It didn't seem to suit her. Gabrielle had grown too used to seeing Juliette happy with a smile for everyone. Now it looked as though the young seer didn't know how to.

Her heart ached for her. She could understand completely her concern. If it was the other way around and it was Xena that was captured or under threat of death, Gabrielle would stop at nothing to make sure that she could help her escape, even if it felt like her heart was ripping to shreds within her chest. It had almost killed her when she'd betrayed Xena, unintentionally directing her toward certain death as punishment for her crime against the _Green Dragon_ in Chin. She refused to do that again. As soon as she'd realized her error, she'd tried what she could, begging him to spare her soul mate's life. It had been a miracle when Xena had escaped through use of her sudden burst of mysterious powers. Though she hadn't assisted much in helping the warrior escape the shackles, Gabrielle made a silent vow that she would do anything to protect Xena, even give her own life; a vow that was put to the test when she was forced to make the choice between Xena and her own daughter.

She owed her life to the warrior more times than she could count, but she wouldn't change their life for anything in the Known World.

"Juliette?"

The woman jumped slightly when Gabrielle gently placed her hand on her shoulder. She sniffed. "Yes?"

Gabrielle cleared her throat, checking to make sure Xena wasn't looking. "How long have you been in love with Leandros?"

Juliette glanced up at her with teary brown eyes. "Since I saw him in my vision."

"You saw him in a vision?"

"Yes." She nodded tearfully, scooting over so Gabrielle could sit beside her. "It was months before I came to Dreyas. I'd had a vision that I was going to meet him. He seemed…_important_ somehow in my vision. I tried to make sense of why he kept appearing, flashes at a time within my visions, but I could never understand. I…I instantly fell in love with him – with the feelings his image invoked in my heart, with the love I could feel emanating from his being in the visions. My instincts screamed out for me to go to him, but it wasn't time yet." Juliette wiped her eyes with the cuff of her sleeve and smiled slightly.

"Then, I began to dream of him. I saw his face over and over until one day, I grew impatient. I gathered my people and brought them a few days early to the town. Seeing him in person…it was strange." She frowned slightly as she thought, her eyes slowly starting to glaze over as she envisioned him. "I'd fallen in love with an image, the brief glimpses of a man I saw in my visions. At first I thought I was being ridiculous. I thought that, maybe, I had imagined the feelings, and that I wasn't really in love. However, when I met him, my heart fell in love all over again. It took everything I had not to run to him and hold him close to me." She smiled then, her face brightening slightly. "I felt the pull in my soul, the way I was left breathless when he first smiled at me. He is my soulmate."

"It must be strange to watch the one you love from a distance and not be able to say anything," Gabrielle muttered wistfully.

"You know first-hand how hard it is, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle froze, tensing as if Xena might be within earshot. "What do you mean?"

"You can't lie to me, Gabrielle. I know of your love for the warrior. I've seen it."

"In a vision?"

Juliette chuckled quietly, shaking her head at the bard. "I don't need to be a seer or have a vision to see the love that you so clearly have for Xena."

Fighting to control the blush creeping into her cheeks, Gabrielle looked away toward Xena. The dark warrior still had her back to them. She was so still – she was like a mountain; strong and sturdy, possessing both patience and strength in her stance, yet Gabrielle could sense her friend's unease. It rolled off of her in waves. Every now and then, Gabrielle spotted Xena's fists clench and release, her frustration evident even from a distance.

"It will never be. It's silly to feel like this."

"Why?"

"She's my friend!" Gabrielle replied with more force than she intended. Seeing Juliette stare back at her, eyes wide, Gabrielle shook her head remorsefully. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap. It's just so…_frustrating_. I know she doesn't feel the same way, and it would be wrong to distract her with silly school-girl feelings."

Out her peripheral vision, Juliette's eyes turned to the floor, her lip pursing as though she had to force her mouth to stay closed. "I…Gabrielle? You can't really know how someone feels unless they say it themselves. You can't take everything at face value. If you did, you wouldn't be alive. The mind has funny ways on picking up on things you wouldn't normally see with your own eyes. To know her heart you need to take a step back. Look at her with new eyes and you will see the truth."

Juliette's words confused her. She frowned. "What do you mean?"

The seer was quiet for a moment, noticeably looking over at Xena and biting her lip slightly as if she was contemplating something. When she looked back, Gabrielle noticed the mischievous glint in her eyes. "You'll see."

Before Gabrielle could question her further, the silver haired seer leaned forward, grasping the bard's chin and pressed her lips against hers lightly. Blood rushed to Gabrielle's face all at once as the young woman moved her mouth, creating strange and unfamiliar patterns. Frozen with shock, it was all Gabrielle could do to sit there, but as the kiss wore on, it didn't escape her how sweet Juliette's lips tasted upon her own. She wanted to protest – to pull away – but the kiss between Xena and Selena flashed before her in her mind and she could do nothing but close her eyes tightly, fighting back the stinging she felt as Juliette kissed her.

Xena didn't know what it was.

There was something different. She _felt_ different. As she cast her eyes along the road they had passed, she sensed something different in the way she held herself. She felt somewhat…_lighter_, if it was possible? Xena had noticed the change as soon as they had left Dreyas. She no longer felt as though there was something pressing down on her all the time; like she was being watched by unseen eyes. She could breathe again – think again. However, even though she felt better physically, leaving Selena back at the town preyed on her mind. She trusted the captain. He hadn't done anything for her to question him as a man or a soldier, but she still felt bad for leaving her. It was like leaving Gabrielle somewhere, alone. It was unimaginable, and her guilt over leaving Selena again after doing it so often in their past tortured her.

She needed to talk to Juliette and Gabrielle. She had to know if they were feeling it too. She couldn't be the only one, could she?

As she turned, it felt as though all the wind had been knocked out of her as her eyes locked on the two women. She was a small distance away, but it was obvious to Xena from their proximity what they doing, and the fire it caused in her belly surprised her. It took all she had not to storm over to them. Instead, she remained as calm as she could as she approached, forcing herself to keep a cool head. She stood before them, crossing her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow.

"Am I interrupting something?" she asked.

Gabrielle jolted away from Juliette as though Zeus's had thrown one of his lightning bolts at her. She looked up at the warrior, her face flushed and her eyes filled with embarrassment and guilt. She looked to Juliette and back to the warrior, waving her hands.

"This, um, this isn't what it looks like, Xena!" Gabrielle gushed.

Xena clenched her jaw. "Weren't you two just kissing?"

Sheepishly, Gabrielle nodded.

"Then it is what it looks like."

"But it isn't, really." Gabrielle stood up, ready to defend herself - ready to tell Xena that the kiss wasn't her idea when Xena cut her off.

"No, it's okay, Gabrielle. What you do and who you give yourself to is none of my business, but I would be a little more mindful."

Watching Xena walk away, Gabrielle just stared after her until she felt a nudge at her hip. She looked down and saw Juliette giving her an encouraging nod. "_Go_!" her eyes flashed.

Wasting no time, Gabrielle strode up to Xena, managing to keep pace with her as the warrior returned to her prior position overlooking the path. An awkward silence filled the air around them as the seconds stretched on into minutes. Finally, Gabrielle couldn't take it anymore.

"Xena-?"

"Do you feel any different after leaving the town?" Xena interrupted.

Gabrielle wondered whether her friend was effected in anyway about the kiss, but as usual, Xena remained annoyingly stoic, making it impossible to read her face and her feelings. Her voice was so even that she couldn't sense a note off pitch that would tip her off to Xena's mood. She sighed and answered.

"Slightly, yes. I feel different; lighter. Do you think it has something to do with being outside?

Xena shook her head. "I think it has something to do with the town."

"The town?"

"Yes. For days, I've felt something – a presence – _pushing_. It was as if it was trying to deafen my senses. I spoke with Cupid last night. He told me that something has been affecting people all over Greece – a darkness that makes you angry, something that influences you to attack those you know. After leaving the town…I can't feel it anymore. Before, I couldn't think straight; the things I heard…I thought they were untrue. Feelings…" she trailed off at that.

Gabrielle continued to scrutinize Xena's face until the warrior locked eyes with her. She felt her heart jolt slightly at the emotions that rushed her all at once. For a moment, if only for a blink of an eye, Xena looked at her in a way that Gabrielle could only describe as someone baring their soul. Her eyes looked a more intense blue as they continued to look at her. It almost looked as though the warrior was speaking to her, but her words were silent; unspoken.

Then it was over. Xena looked away, the moment and the warrior's vulnerability, gone.

"Xena?" Gabrielle touched Xena's forearm, her fingers gently brushing the crook of the warrior's elbow.

"Gabrielle, really, it has nothing to do with me. I thought Juliette loved Leandros, but I'm starting to think that maybe I was wrong."

"You're not. She does love him, really. We…we're just friends."

"I've never known friends to kiss like that," Xena chuckled in response, but Gabrielle could have sworn she heard a strange tightness in the warrior's voice.

At that moment, the memory of the kisses they had shared assaulted Gabrielle's mind and she grinned sardonically. "Right, I guess not,"

"What…?" Xena stumbled. She looked away, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "How did you even...?"

"I was just comforting her,"

"You never comforted me like that," Xena replied, quickly covering the way her voice sounded like a pout. "Not that I…"

"Yeah, I know," Gabrielle interrupted.

Xena didn't know whether it was her imagination or not, but she could have sworn that the bard sounded almost sad. She had rushed to cut off her words, leaving them in awkward silence once again. Growing uncomfortable, Xena cleared her throat and gestured behind them.

"We should get moving. I hate to guess what Darius and his men have done to Leandros."

"Right behind you."

~X~

"Where is everyone? I can't see a single person," Gabrielle whispered.

Xena's eyes roamed the camp. She was right. The place looked empty – completely deserted. It was almost as if they knew that Xena was one her way. Still, even though the place looked empty, Xena knew better. Her instincts told her there was something wrong, and she always trusted her instincts.

"Do you think it's a trap?" Gabrielle asked.

"I'm not sure, but it feels like one."

Moving slowly, Xena gestured for the others to follow her, but to be quiet. They weaved in and out of the trees surrounding the camp until they reached the fire. Its logs had long since burned to ash; there wasn't a single ember left.

"I'd say they left a couple of hours ago." Xena rose from her inspective crouch, rubbing away ash from between her finger and thumb.

"Left? Why would they just leave everything?"

Xena pointed around them. "Their tents are still up, but there is nothing inside any one of them. Everything is gone. They couldn't have gathered up everything and left in a rush. They would have tripped up somewhere, dropped something, and the fire is cold. No water was used to douse it."

Juliette wandered around the camp, the look of panic rising on her pale face again. It twisted Gabrielle's heart to see her look so lost and distraught. Her fingers lifted to her lips unconsciously. She could still feel the kiss on her lips; still tasted the sweetness of the other woman's mouth. She hadn't felt anything but embarrassment and shock when Juliette had kissed her. She hadn't even known what she had meant to do until it was too late, but the seer's words beforehand still floated around in her mind.

_Step back and look at her with new eyes…You'll see…_

Gabrielle glanced up and saw Xena staring after Juliette, a strange look on her face again. Except, this time, Gabrielle could have sworn she saw something flash in the warrior's blue eyes the longer she stared at the young seer. Jealousy? No…it _couldn't_ be. Was Xena jealous? The thought made Gabrielle's mind spin and her heart begin to race.

As the minutes stretched on, Xena decided to search the surrounding area to look for tracks to see which direction Darius and his men took. Gabrielle had been ready to stay behind with Juliette, but after a silent inner debate, Xena insisted that Gabrielle accompanied her. Before she left with the warrior, Gabrielle glanced back at Juliette and saw the smile in the young woman's eyes.

Xena went ahead as she normally did inspecting the ground for signs of movement, foot treads, broken branches; anything that would give away the men's direction. As she did, Gabrielle watched her. She noticed the way Xena moved, looking over her shoulder every so often as if to make sure Gabrielle was still there. It made the bard smile inside, knowing that Xena was thinking about her enough to check. As she followed that train of thought, she quietly wondered if Xena had ever thought of her the way that she had thought of her for many nights over the duration of their friendship. She wondered whether Xena had ever imagined kissing her because she wanted to, and not because Gabrielle was getting married again, or because Xena was going to die. Gabrielle wondered if the dark warrior held as much love for her as she did for Xena, and all that entailed. Feeling love for someone that she couldn't have, it all but killed her.

Xena concentrated on looking for any tracks and followed them when she did, but she was very aware of the bard behind her. She could feel the bard's eyes watching her, but it didn't make her feel uncomfortable, even if Gabrielle was staring. The warrior smiled inside. But that smile slipped from her face when she remembered the kiss she had seen Gabrielle and Juliette exchange.

She thought about the kiss more than she cared to admit since it happened. It invoked anger, jealousy and sparked desire. Seeing Gabrielle kiss another, it wasn't hard to imagine herself and the bard sharing the same kind of kiss. For months, Xena had tried to provoke some kind of situation so she could kiss Gabrielle's lips once again, but all attempts had fallen flat, and she couldn't try too often in danger of revealing her true feelings. Instead, frustration left her muttering darkly under her breath, raising curious looks from her companion. Curious looks that the bard shot her now.

"They went north, toward the sea," Xena said, frowning past the trees.

"What's north?"

Xena was quiet for a moment as a thought hit her. "The old village; Darius's home."

Gabrielle frowned in confusion. "I thought you said your army destroyed it?"

Xena glanced down at her friend, biting her lip. "Yes, they did, but I know Darius. He's sentimental. He could be taking Leandros back there, to keep him away. I don't know."

The bard blinked as she looked out at the disturbed shrubbery where Darius and his men had torn through the trees without concern. She could smell the mixed scent of moisture and salt; the sea was nearby. The broken grass and flowers filled the air, creating an earthy smell that reminded her too much of the warrior stood inches from her.

"So, what's the plan?" Gabrielle asked, grinning up at the warrior.

Xena smiled at the young blonde, moving a strand of hair out of her face. "We go north."

* * *

><p><em>Hey guys! Sorry the update is late, but as usual, Uni work is piling up. Bad excuse, I know, but it's the only one I got that's genuine DX You don't know how much I really appreciate you guys following and reviewing the story. Gives me hope, y'know? ;) As a gift, I've decided to continue this, maybe...like a short series? I've got a sequel on the go, but 'shhh', don't tell anyone lol Anyway, I'll crack on with the next chapter,...you guys know what to do by now, right? ;)<em>

_- Bex_


	39. Sweet Torture

Leandros didn't know exactly where they were.

For hours he had drifted in and out of consciousness as he was dragged along, his mind barely lucid enough to hear anything around him. The only thing he was sure about was that it was constantly dark. The fabric over his head felt rough, suffocating. He remained as calm as he could while he was dragged, pushed and pulled by strong arms to be thrown onto a cart then a horse, before they continued again. Completely disorientated, he had no hopes of knowing where he was enough to dare an escape. His vision was blinded by what he could only image was a sack over his head and his hands were bound behind his back. His body ached and his head screamed out in pain where Ivan had struck him with the hilt of his sword.

_Ivan_

He knew he was there. He could feel his presence, smell his foul odour whenever he passed, laughing at his vulnerable state. The man's very voice set his teeth on edge; the sound caused Leandros's blood to boil, but he kept up the pretence of being unconscious, knowing that he could do nothing as he was, and instead listened, hoping Ivan would let something slip.

As the rhythmic gait gently bounced Leandros as he lay on his stomach across the horse, his legs dangling over the edge, he wondered where Darius was. Remembering the stat he had been in after consuming more of the mind altering poison, Leandros felt his heart rate quicken. The thought that Ivan had been slowly and secretly poisoning Darius for a long time made him feel nauseous. He couldn't understand how he hadn't ever picked up on the signs. When Darius had started acting strangely, completely ignoring Leandros some days, and then asking for his council the next when Ivan was around had been a sign. It hadn't escaped Leandros's notice that whenever Ivan hadn't been near him, inadvertently giving Darius a break from the drug, Darius had returned to a former state of clarity and silently pleaded to him for help.

Why hadn't he seen?

"How far away is the village?" a deep voice said nearby. He could have been walking beside the horse.

There was a pause. "Not far. Just over that hill and past the trees for another day until we reach the shore," Ivan answered distractedly.

"Why are we going to the village?"

"Because I want them to be back where they belong when they die."

Ivan sighed and clucked his tongue. A horse whickered and snorted, and suddenly Ivan's voice was closer. Leandros felt his head forcibly lifted, his hair tugged roughly through the material. "Pathetic. It's hard to believe these two were ever feared. He and his brother are a joke. If Darius wanted to strike fear into the hearts of others, they should have killed those he stole. Not auction them off for next to nothing."

The deep voice sounded unsure as he spoke up. "Darius isn't a killer, though. He never was, nor Leandros. They had honour."

There was a longer pause and Leandros's head was released. "Are you trying to say that _I_ have _no_ honour? Siding with the enemy, are we?"

"N-no, it's just that I've known them since the village was destroyed. They were good men. I don't think we should kill them; they're still our leade-"

Leandros didn't get to hear the rest of the man's words. Instead, a hissing sound and a painful grunt filled his ears. He didn't need to be able to see to know that Ivan had stabbed him.

"Anyone else thinking about chickening out? You got anything you want to say?" Ivan shouted to his men, the warning clear in his tone. "I am the leader now; you answer to _ME_, not them! If you have any doubt, speak up now or find yourself fated to the same sticky end as him!"

No one made a sound. Leandros sensed a tangible silence, and all of a sudden he felt as though he was being scrutinized through the sack; by the men? Ivan? He didn't know.

"Does this look like a leader? Tied up and thrown over a damn horse's back? These men are weak, not fit to call your leader. Do you want riches beyond your wildest dreams? The smell of fresh blood upon your sword? Using action instead of words and waiting around? Do you want to be known as great and to have your every whim catered for? Or do you want to continue the same ridiculously boring routine, never making money, and never fulfilling your thirst for vengeance?" he shouted to his new army.

They yelled back in broken unison, their roars of agreement lifting over the quiet air.

"What do you need?" Ivan bellowed.

"Vengeance!"

"What do you want?"

"Blood!"

Ivan laughed cruelly, his voice filled with power as he spoke his next words confidently. "And _whose_ blood do you want?"

Leandros swallowed painfully; already aware of the answer to the answer. He had to find a way to get Darius and escape before the horde turned to kill them as well.

The army roared one more time with bloodthirsty power, sending blood chilling tremors down his spine in fear. "_XENA'S_!"

~X~

"Are you okay, Juliette?" Gabrielle asked, noticing her shiver again.

She had kept a close eye on her after she and Xena had returned hours before. The seer seemed to have taken to keeping to herself, wrapping her arms around herself, and only looking up at the sky as though it held all the answers to the questions she quietly asked herself. It saddened Gabrielle to see her that way, knowing that she was worrying so much about the man she loved and knowing that he could be in danger.

Juliette remained quiet. She only nodded to reassure Gabrielle that she had heard her. When she shivered again, Gabrielle walked over and knelt beside her, touching her shoulder.

"I know you're scared and upset, but you don't know Xena like I do. She won't let anything happen to him. He's going to be alright."

Juliette nodded again. "I understand that, Gabrielle, but you have to understand, too, that my visions are never wrong. What is shown to me always comes to pass sooner or later." She swallowed tightly and when Juliette looked up at her, Gabrielle saw the unshed tears glistening in her eyes in the reflection of the firelight. "The sword in his back…it will happen."

Gabrielle frowned. She understood the weight of visions, remembering the one she'd had when she had been shot with a poisoned arrow. "But with the knowledge of what you have seen, do you think that, maybe, you could prevent it?"

The seer stared into the flames for a long time before answering. "One can only hope that the Fates are merciful to us, Gabrielle."

Hoping to ease some of her anxiety, Gabrielle rubbed Juliette's arm and almost flinched from the feel of her skin. "You're so cold!" she exclaimed.

"I'll be alright, Gabrielle."

"Didn't you think to bring anything with you when you left Dreyas?"

Juliette shook her head solemnly. "I forgot. My mind was on other things."

Gabrielle nodded sympathetically and rose to her feet. She left Juliette for a second and came back with her arms full with her already unfurled bedroll. "Here."

Juliette's eyes widened in surprise; she shook her head and started to wave her off. "I couldn't, Gabrielle."

"Yes you can. You can't sleep on the cold, hard ground without cover. You will freeze during the middle of the night, and I won't have that, and neither will Xena."

"But-"

"But nothing. You can use mine. I'll share with Xena."

Not giving Juliette the chance to argue further, Gabrielle turned around and walked to the other side of the fire, back to where her bedroll had previously been laid out beside Xena's. She looked away into the woods, pretending to be listening out for Xena, but was really watching out the corner of her eyes. Juliette seemed to war with herself, looking down at the roll in her hands and glancing over at Gabrielle. The bard wondered if Juliette would continue to protest and give it back, but when a cold chill swept through the small camp, Juliette shivered violently and thought differently. Instead of giving it back, the seer laid out the roll on the floor and hid under the cover, wrapping it around her body, leaving only her head visible.

Triumphant, Gabrielle bid the woman goodnight before she started prodding at the flames with a stick she found. It didn't take long before she heard familiar footsteps nearby. She smiled up at the dark haired warrior as she re-entered the camp but pulled a face when she saw what she was carrying.

"Ooh, fish…just like we _always_ have," Gabrielle said sarcastically as Xena dropped the dead pile near her feet. "Can't wait."

Xena smirked and sat down next to her. "Hey, y'know if you want, I think I saw a rabbit back there. If you want it…go right ahead and get it. Or I can go and get some eel. I know how much you love them."

Gabrielle narrowed her eyes at the woman. After the bad experience she'd had with the rabbit a few weeks back, she didn't fancy her chances at attempting to hunt another and the thought of having to eat eel again made her stomach churn sickly. "Fish is fine."

Xena chuckled. She sobered when she looked across the fire. "How is Juliette doing?"

Gabrielle's eyes softened as she, too, looked at the seer. From where they were she could see the furs move as Juliette turned onto her side, her back facing them. "She misses him."

"I know what she's going through; it's hard being away from someone you love."

Gabrielle was quiet as Xena started stringing up the fish to put in a pack they had brought along with them. It would keep for breakfast before they set off again. "Who did you lose?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

Xena seemed to pause mentally, thinking a long time before she answered. When she turned to look at the bard, Gabrielle saw the same look she had seen earlier, and it caught her off guard. It was as though, for a moment, she was looking at a different woman.

"It was you."

"Me?" Gabrielle asked, surprised.

Xena nodded. "When you fell into the pit with Hope," she started, looking into the flames, her mouth pressed into a grim line at the memory. "It felt like my whole world just…stopped. I couldn't believe it happened. Even when I looked into it as you fell, something in my mind told me that it wasn't real; that it was just a dream, and at first I believed it. Until you didn't come back…and I couldn't find you. It felt like someone had just reached into my chest and ripped my heart out. I couldn't breathe. For a while…I lost you."

When Xena looked away, her voice cracking with the emotion that came rushing back along with the memory, Gabrielle frowned and laid her head on the warrior's shoulder.

"I came back."

Xena smiled softly. "Yes you did."

She tilted her head to rest against the bard's and closed her eyes as she wrapped her arm around her shoulder, pulling her closer and reached up to stroke the bard's cheek. "We've got to stop dying all the time."

"Yeah. It's tiring," Gabrielle chuckled, shivering beneath the warrior's gentle touch.

"Mmm," Xena muttered as she rubbed Gabrielle's arms. "You're cold. Where's your bedroll?"

Xena opened her eyes and Gabrielle looked back at her and smiled. That smile slowly melted into a look of discomfort when she looked around them. She pulled away slightly, leaving Xena's arm to drop to the bedroll.

"What is it?" Xena asked, wondering if she'd been too close. _Damn it, I scared her!_ She thought regretfully.

Gabrielle cleared her throat and smiled again, but this time, Xena would tell it was forced. "I…gave Juliette my bedroll so she wouldn't be cold," she answered hesitantly.

"Oh," Xena looked over at the seer and saw that the bedroll she was wrapped up in was indeed the bard's. She realized then the reason why Gabrielle looked so uncomfortable. Was it because she was afraid of asking to share hers? She pulled the edge of the furs up and quirked an eyebrow at the blonde. "You can share mine."

Gabrielle swallowed hard. "You're sure?"

Xena pulled a face. "Well I'm not going to let you freeze, am I?"

"No…I'm just being silly. Thank you."

They moved around, silently taking direction from each other until they finally settled. Laid beside each other, both women stared up at the sky. As she traced the sky with her finger, moving it across the stars to create shapes and see the constellations, Gabrielle smiled. She loved looking at the stars, and lying beside the warrior as she did made her night feel complete. She felt the warrior's warm skin brush against her own as Xena shuffled closer so they had more cover and felt her belly clench tightly, but she made sure not to show any sign that Xena's closeness affected her. Instead, she continued to gaze skyward, listening to the crackle of the wood burning nearby.

"What are you doing?" Xena asked when she saw Gabrielle grinning.

The bard was silent for a long time before answering. "Nothing. Just thinking."

"About what?"

Gabrielle turned to look at her for a moment. The flames reflected in Xena's eyes and she found herself struck, silently trapped within their blue fire. The warrior looked so beautiful that it hurt to look too long and not be able to kiss her. Instead, she glanced around Xena's face, noting the delicious way the fire burnished the warrior's skin, painting it a bronze hue in the dark. Heat rushed to her cheeks when she noticed Xena still staring at her when she looked up.

She observed the sky again, clearing her throat awkwardly as she watched the stars twinkle back at her. She would have to keep a level mind if she was to sleep in the same bedroll as Xena, but it was a task proving difficult when she felt her body betraying her. "Just looking at the sky."

Xena saw the tiny half smile of the bard's face and looked too. It was clear and stars dotted the dark night. "It's a beautiful night, considering…"

A questioning glance. "Considering?" Gabrielle echoed.

"What has happened." Xena looked back at the bard and pressed her mouth into a grim line. "Leandros, leaving Selena at the town, Juliette…it's just…"

"I know," Gabrielle interrupted her. She reached over under the furs and grasped Xena's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It'll all work out, Xena. I'm sure it will."

Xena smiled. She squeezed back, feeling a jolt of desire hum through her blood when Gabrielle looked at her. God, she was so beautiful. "I wish,"

"What?"

_I wish I had you. I wish I could kiss you, Gabrielle_, Xena screamed in her mind. She shook her head. "I wish you wouldn't hog the cover."

"I'm not hogging the cover!" Gabrielle exclaimed humorously, not wanting to alert Juliette and cause any unnecessary panic. They both tugged at it playfully, each one trying to win more than the other until Gabrielle won. She started to pull the cover further over Xena until she stopped her.

"Wait." Xena's jaw clenched slightly as she gestured toward the fire. "Turn your back to me."

"Why?"

"Body heat and the cover will give us both enough warmth through the night."

Knowing what that meant, heat punctuated Gabrielle's cheeks and she looked away to hide it. She turned quickly, trying not to seem too eager. She felt the warrior sidle up behind her, pulling the furs over them both. When they were comfortable enough, she felt Xena's arm, very hesitantly curl over her waist, snaking around until it held the bard flush against her.

"I-is this okay?" Xena asked quietly, her voice tickling Gabrielle's ear.

Gabrielle fought the longing ache to moan against the warrior, only nodding in response. She thought she might have stopped breathing; the only sign to confirm that she was still alive made by her rapidly beating heart pounding away in her chest. Every nerve ending tingled with desire, anticipation and a longing she had grown too accustomed to over the past couple of years. She wanted nothing more - dreamed of nothing more - than for Xena to hold her this way. She wished that she would touch her like this because she wanted to, and not because it was convenient.

Xena pushed herself closer to the bard under the furs, loving the way her body seemed to fit perfectly along the feminine curves of Gabrielle's body. She felt more than heard the sharp intake of breath Gabrielle made as she tightened her hold around the blonde.

"Did I hurt you?" she panicked.

"No," Gabrielle chuckled. Xena heard the way Gabrielle's voice sounded strained and wondered if she was lying to make Xena felt better. Whatever the case, she began to loosen her hold. Right up until the bard grabbed her hand, holding her there. "I…don't move away, please? I…it's cold," she struggled between yawns, reaching for words that would keep the warrior exactly where she wanted her.

"Okay," Xena complied, smiling. "You should get some sleep. You sound tired."

The night seemed to drift along slowly, the fire's flames hardly dimming and the stars continuing to wink down at the women as they lay beneath the furs. Gabrielle's had hoped to relax eventually, having felt the warrior's body close before, but after her talk with Juliette hours earlier she couldn't escape the nagging thoughts the seer's words had provoked.

_To know her heart you need to take a step back…look at her with new eyes and you will see the truth_

Gabrielle had done that. She had forced herself to look at Xena in a different way, allowed herself to think that maybe the warrior might think more of her than a friend as she did Xena, but apart from a few grins and gentle teasing; Gabrielle hadn't seen or felt anything different.

Until now.

After a candle mark of drifting in and out between dreams, she felt the subtle way Xena's body trembled against her own as she pushed herself closer, tightening her hold. She didn't know if Xena was awake, or if her movements were a result of their position or the cold, but she didn't dare complain for risk of breaking the contact. She couldn't have done it if she tried. The bard found herself willingly glued where she was, her muscles tensing when she felt Xena's fingertips.

They made lazy trails across the bare skin of Gabrielle's belly, softly tracing the contours of her abdomen, causing a rush of molten fire to develop in her stomach. Her pulse raced, her breathing picked up speed, but Xena's gentle strokes never ceased, nor did the warrior act as if she was even aware of what she was causing. As the relentless caresses continued, Gabrielle decided to give in and melted into the feel of her warrior.

Gabrielle sighed in pleasure as she concentrated on Xena's hand, seeing in her mind's eye the path it was slowly making across her belly, but her eyes shot open when she felt it move lower. Her muscles tightened, her breathing hitched, when Xena's fingers danced along the hem of her skirt, tracing the fabric with her fingertips. Her face burned with a mixture embarrassment and desire. Xena had to be awake, she _had_ to be. She couldn't touch her this way in her sleep, would she?

"Xena?" she whispered curiously.

"_Shh_," the warrior gently hushed against her neck. Gabrielle shivered as Xena's hot breath whispered against her naked skin. "You'll wake Juliette."

"But, what-?" Gabrielle attempted a question, but her words broke off when she felt warm lips press against the nape of her neck. Xena's mouth against her skin felt wonderful, almost like a dream as she made a trail along her throat, tasting her until she reached her shoulder. The moan of disappointment slipped from Gabrielle's mouth before she could stop it when Xena removed her hand.

"Patience is a virtue, Gabrielle," she heard Xena whisper huskily, and felt the warrior's smile against her flesh.

Gabrielle blushed. She refused to open her mouth anymore as Xena continued her exploration, knowing she would only embarrass herself further. She still couldn't believe the warrior princess was touching her so intimately. What had happened between a candlemark to provoke such overt desires within the warrior? Had Juliette been right when she had talked about Gabrielle not knowing Xena's heart, as Aphrodite had stated, too? Did Xena love her the same way her heart yearned for Xena, and after too much time denying her desires, finally decided to give in to them instead? The thought set her ablaze and she closed her eyes once more.

The sound of Xena's sensuous moan filled her ears as Gabrielle held her hand, squeezing it slightly before setting it over her stomach again, allowing the warrior to continue her ministrations. Xena took the action as silent permission and continued her caress, each stroke a flame that built a bigger, stronger fire each time within Gabrielle's belly. When the warrior moved her hand up, slipping it over her vest top, Gabrielle thought she was going to explode. Xena brushed her hands over her breast, causing a pleasure so exquisite that it mixed with pain.

As her hand slipped lower once again, Gabrielle felt the warrior's hesitance. With a smile, Gabrielle turned in Xena's hold and faced her. She looked into the warrior's eyes; they blazed with a lust so powerful she thought she might get burned from the intensity, but it was the carnal smile that almost took up her face as she regarded Gabrielle that made her blood boil.

Without a word, Xena reached out and cupped her cheek, pulling her towards her until she was close enough to kiss. As their lips touched, Gabrielle couldn't help but marvel at the sensations that rushed around her body.

She was kissing Xena! It was like the other kisses they had shared in the past, but unlike them, while Gabrielle still felt uncertain about what was going on, she felt nothing but raw need as Xena strived to deepen the kiss. The warrior pulled her closer, tighter and demanded access to her mouth. She teased with her tongue, running it along the bard's lips until Gabrielle couldn't resist anymore and accepted her. The taste of Xena in her mouth, sharing an intimate kiss that stated more than friendship left her dizzy with desire. She fought to prolong the contact and breathe at the same time. She thought Xena might want to break too, but when Gabrielle pulled away, Xena carried on, moving until she straddled Gabrielle's hips.

The increasingly charged sound of their breathing echoed in the still air, the pulse of their heartbeats and the melody of their bodies pushing them onwards. Juliette was long past an afterthought as Gabrielle lost herself to the feel of the woman she loved so deeply moving above her. All she wanted now was to feel Xena, touch her and be touched back.

Xena kissed her throat, sliding her lips over Gabrielle's neck while the bard reached up and brushed her fingers through Xena's dark hair. As she pulled back to kiss her lips, Xena pulled Gabrielle up until she was sitting and held her tightly, lowering her hands to spread them across Gabrielle's back. The bard's body arched into Xena's of its own accord when she stroked her fingers gently along the skin of her back, exposed by the green top she wore. The warrior's touch was like fire. Every teasing caress of her hot fingertips doused one fire, but created another much lower.

That's when Gabrielle felt it. Xena's hand moved, snaking between their bodies to slide lower until it slipped beneath Gabrielle's skirt. The bard's eyes widened, her heart thrumming away as Xena stroked the inside of her thighs, eliciting moans of pleasure from the bard. She quivered with the effort to stay as quiet as she could as she was assailed with waves of desire.

"Please," Gabrielle begged, grasping Xena's shoulder tightly.

Xena dragged her tongue along the column of her throat, nipping gently at the skin. "Please, what, Gabrielle? Tell me what you want."

Gabrielle closed her eyes as she exploded from the inside. Her muscles tightened and relaxed and tightened again, anticipating Xena's waiting hand with painful longing. "_Please_!"

Xena leaned forward and kissed the spot just below Gabrielle's ear just before moving her lips close enough for her to hear her husky question. "Tell me…"

"_XENA_!"

Gabrielle shot up at once, covered in sweat and panting hard. The furs fell from her as she looked around, her throat bone dry. Everything was still; the fire still crackled away as the flames consumed the wood next to her, Juliette still lay under her furs, asleep, and on her other side, the warrior looked up at her as though she had just woken up with eyes wide and laced with concern.

"Gabrielle! Are you alright? What's wrong?" she asked.

Gabrielle blinked. Had the warrior been asleep? _How could that be?_ Gabrielle asked herself. _She was just kissing me… _Her mind wondered and she rubbed a hand down her face when she realized the truth. She had been dreaming.

"I-I'm fine," she lied.

"You don't sound fine," Xena yawned. She sat up and reached over, moving Gabrielle's hand so she could see her face. "Gabrielle?"

The bard turned away guiltily. How could she look Xena in the eyes now that she had just woken up from the most vividly erotic dream she had ever had? "I just…I had a dream, that's all."

"A dream?" When Gabrielle nodded, Xena arched an eyebrow and wiped the bard's forehead with the cover. "Whatever you were dreaming about must have been something. You're sweating all over."

"Oh…it was _something_, alright."

They were quiet for a moment until Gabrielle managed to catch her breath and calm down. She relaxed back onto her back and looked up at the sky with tired eyes. It looked as though nothing had changed. How long had she been dreaming and what in Tartarus _was_ that? As she tried to make sense of everything, images of the warrior princess touching her so intimately, kissing and holding her flittered across her mind, making her blood begin to boil again. What was happening to her? She had never had such a sensual dream before, and never had she reacted so readily to it. As she moved, she could feel, to her embarrassment, just how much the dream had affected her in reality between her legs. This was ridiculous. But it had felt so real. If Gabrielle closed her eyes, she could still feel the way Xena's sturdy hands caressed the inside of her thighs, gently coaxing them open as she smiled up at her, pressing kisses along her lips, throat, collarbone.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright, Gabrielle? You sounded a little distressed."

Gabrielle's heart froze as she dared to look at the warrior. "You _heard_ me?"

There was a look in Xena's blue eyes that made Gabrielle feel uneasy, but she didn't hear anything more than the words finally spoken to her after what felt like a candlemark of silence. "You sounded like…you were having a nightmare."

Gabrielle exhaled her relief and smiled. "It was just a dream, Xena. Don't worry, it won't do me any harm." She stared up at the starry sky and waited until her heart rate resumed its natural pace before turning to the warrior once more.

"You're sure?"

Gabrielle nodded once and smiled. "I'm sure."

Smiling, Xena held the furs up with one hand and held out her other in invitation. Without hesitation, Gabrielle moved over and snuggled into the woman, laying her head on her shoulder as Xena put the fur blanket over them. Xena held her tightly and though Gabrielle thought it dangerous after the dream she'd had, she couldn't find it in her to leave. She loved being close to the warrior; she loved the feel of her strong body, the metallic tang of her armour and spicy smell of leather soap, but most of all she loved the feel of her heartbeat against her ear as she laid on her chest and the slight way it sped up when she was near. It was such sweet torture being so close that they touched, yet being so far away that she couldn't speak her heart.

"Love you," Xena mumbled tiredly as she closed her eyes.

Gabrielle glanced up at the warrior and felt the prickle of oncoming tears. "Love you, too."


	40. Blood, Dirt and Death

_**A/N**:** This chapter contains strong violence and ****language that may be distressful to some readers. **_

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><p>Hearing her sigh, the warrior princess cast a sideways glance at the bard. She watched with growing concern as Gabrielle yawned. As she lifted her hand to cover her mouth, Xena saw the beginnings if shadows forming under her heavy eyes.<p>

She looked so tired and Xena couldn't blame her. After all, it seemed like, even though she had lain in her arms throughout the night, Gabrielle hadn't properly rested. Xena had felt her twitch every so often, or sniff as if she might have been crying. The thought of Gabrielle crying made her heart squeeze. She had brought it up at first light and had asked her if she was okay. The bard had only looked at her funny, a faraway look in her eyes before smiling and shaking her head, reassuring her that she was okay. The warrior trusted Gabrielle and would have taken comfort in her words, if not for the obviously forced smile. Still, Xena wouldn't push her.

They continued along the path. The treads Darius and his men had left were obvious; almost as if they hadn't taken any care in hiding where they were going. The thought gnawed at Xena, leaving a bad feeling in her gut. This wasn't like him. In the past, he had at least attempted to make it look as if he had tried to cover his tracks. This felt too careless; arrogant, almost as if she was dealing with someone else.

Feeling a presence beside her Xena looked up. Juliette walked beside her looking no better than the bard. She had her arms wrapped around herself, walking absently and her eyes looking but not seeing as she cast them at the ground.

"Not far to go until we get to the village," Xena said to break the silence. Both women looked up at her and she smiled awkwardly. "What's left of it."

"Your army destroyed the village if I remember the tale correctly, Xena?" Juliette enquired quietly.

Xena nodded, looking at the ground guiltily as her heart filled with regret. "My army…they revolted against me. They thought I ordered an attack on the village. By the time I could tell them that I hadn't they had already destroyed more than half of it. They wouldn't listen to me in the end."

Gabrielle tilted her head. "You said it was Leandros's village, didn't you?" When Xena nodded her head to confirm it, she continued. "I still can't believe you knew him as a child."

"He must have only been ten or eleven summers," Xena recalled. She smiled at a memory of a little boy asking for her help and refusing to back down when she threatened his life. "He was so brave. I knew he would grow to be a fine man even then. But physical growth is only part of being a man; he is learning what it takes to become one, and that is more important. "

"How so?" Gabrielle asked curiously.

"He has a reason; to fight, to live. He has something to believe in, as all warriors must." Xena turned to look at Gabrielle and without thinking, reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of her face, cupping the blonde's cheek. "You are _my_ reason, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle stopped breathing for a moment as heat rushed to her face. "Me? But I thought redemption was?"

"It is, or at one point it was my _only_ reason, but now I have you. You are the reason I find strength to go on, why I have light in my life again. Without you, I would find myself in constant darkness…and I could never hope to find redemption. Not without you by my side, Gabrielle." She knew she could never reveal how she truly felt, but it was the closest she felt she could come to telling the bard how much she loved her without scaring her away.

Gabrielle smiled and covered the warrior's hand with her own. "Same here," she replied softly.

Juliette smiled at their touching moment but Xena noticed her smile quickly fade when she tilted her head to one side. Juliette looked as though she had heard something, or she was listening. Releasing her hand, Xena stepped away and joined the seer, looking further into the direction of the trees Juliette was looking.

"Do you hear that?" she asked.

Xena clenched her jaw when she picked up the painful groan coming from within the trees. "Sounds like someone is in a lot of pain."

She gestured for both women to follow her as she moved toward the sound. The closer she got, the more she felt the need to draw her sword. They hadn't seen Darius yet, and from her experience, Xena knew when she was being drawn into a trap. She held her sword before her; her ears trained for sound, her keen eyesight ready to detect movement around them. When they finally reached the sound, Gabrielle released a shocked gasp.

A man was laid on his back, an open wound gaping in his stomach, and his hands shaking as they attempted to hold the flesh together. He was deathly pale and covered in blood. It was all Xena could do but wonder how the man had survived such an attack. She knelt by him, keeping her sword drawn just in case and touched his shoulder. His painful moans never ceased and continued to squirm in pain.

"What is your name?" Xena asked.

The man gasped in pain as he attempted to open his eyes. "Arghh…Aris-tes…"

"Aristes? Is that your name"?

"Kill…me. Please!" he begged in response. He yelled out in pain when Xena tried to move his hand to inspect the wound closer.

Gabrielle looked at her. "You can help him, right?"

Xena lowered her eyes. "He's lost a lot of blood. Even if I were to stitch this up he wouldn't make it through the night.

Knowing what that meant, Gabrielle shook her head. "No, Xena. We can't just kill-"

"Xe-na-?"

All women's eyes flicked down at the questioning tone of the dying man upon the ground. He finally managed to force his eyes open and looked up at her. Xena could see it in his eyes. His light was fading, along with more of his colour as his life poured into the dirt around him.

"You know of me?"

"You…you killed my brother!" he growled. His head fell back from the effort of looking up at her for too long. He closed his eyes again tightly, wincing as a rattling cough travelled through him. "He's dead because of…_you_! You and your stupid army!"

Xena gritted her teeth. "What was his name?"

"Why would you care?"

"Because I would not have men die in vain, no matter the cause. I would have his name so I can apologize to his brother in the hope he would forgive me for the mistakes of my youth and my men for attacking his brother." She paused for a moment until dropping her voice an octave so that her voice sounded as soft as a whisper. "It will not bring him back, but perhaps it might give you some peace?"

All fell quiet when Xena's words ended. She wondered at first if he had heard her at all. Then finally she heard a strange noise; it sounded almost like a sniff. When she looked down at the man she saw a tear escape his eye to fall, mixing with the dirt and blood. His eyes flickered open and looked up at her with as much focus as he could muster. Seeing his hand reaching Xena took it and squeezed gently. He already had the chill of death upon his skin. She knew it wouldn't be long now.

"He was _in_ your army. He was with you when…the village," another cough and painful wince, "When the village was destroyed. It was his fault for following you. His name was Brantus."

"I knew of a Brantus." Xena nodded. "You look like how I remember him."

Aristes attempted a smile. "We share an unfortunate face."

She chuckled at his dying jest but sobered as he winced. She squeezed his hand as tightly as she could without causing him any more pain. "I'm sorry he died, Aristes. I'm sorry."

"The others…they travel to the village of Darius's birth. They plan to kill…"

Xena's eyes widened as the man coughed hard and groaned in pain. "Who? Who do they plan to kill?"

He looked up at her for a few seconds. Xena could see the life leaving him, but before he died, he pulled her close with the last of his strength and whispered something so quietly that she had to lean in to hear him properly. He nodded and seconds later, his hand fell limp in hers and the hiss of his last breath disappeared on the wind.

She stared at the Aristes for a long time, regret and sympathy rushing around in her chest. She reached over and closed the man's eyes. Finally, feeling the light touch of Gabrielle's hand on her shoulder, Xena stood, clenching her jaw.

"Xena?"

"We must hurry."

~X~

Leandros glared as the man paced before him with a cruel smile. When the blade Ivan held caught the light after wiping it clean, Leandros swallowed. It winked at him menacingly, promising further torture. His face and chest still stung where he'd been sliced with it. The only consolation he had was that the air was light and somewhat cooled the angry slices.

"Try anything and I'll cut out his tongue," Ivan promised.

Leandros frowned. "Why him?"

Smiling, Ivan crouched, holding up and twisting the dagger as he inspected it. "I want you to see him suffer. Because I know how much you love him, you will try to break free and save him." Ivan's eyes flicked to him, narrowing as if he dared Leandros to challenge him. "When you do, I will make sure you regret it."

The two glared at each other as Ivan's men dragged the barely conscious body of Darius from atop one of the horses. They threw him on the ground with a loud thud. Pulling Darius to his knees, the men held him as they awaited their orders.

"Tie him up like his brother," Ivan said, not looking at them. Instead he pulled at the rope binding Leandros's hands to make sure they were tight enough. He listened to his men grunt as they pushed him against a tree nearby. They were unfurling the rope when Ivan lifted a hand to still them.

"Actually," he said, smiling broadly. "String him up by his wrists."

The men looked at each other. "What?"

"I said string him up! Now!"

Ivan jumped up and walked over to his men. Seeing that they weren't moving fast enough, he pushed them out of the way impatiently and grabbed the rope. Leandros watched with growing horror as Ivan wrenched Darius around, tying the rope as tight as he could around his brother's wrists. Following a painful sounding pop, Darius yelled. He blinked awake and looked around him as his former first man worked on immobilizing him.

"What? Ivan? What are you doing? Where's my brother?" Darius asked weakly

Leandros kicked the dirt at his feet. "I'm here, Darius. Your men have betrayed you!"

Darius looked over at Ivan in disbelief. It seemed the poison he had ingested the day before had left his system. Leandros saw the clarity through the pain in his eyes and knew the man to be his brother again. "You…you betrayed me?"

Ivan pulled on the ropes, eliciting a scream of pain from Darius. "You are weak, Darius. They wanted someone stronger, and lucky for them, I was there."

"You bastard!"

Laughing, Ivan threw the other end of the rope over a high branch and grabbed it again. With one decisive yank Darius was lifted from the ground by his wrists, screaming and yelling in protest all the way up. He kicked out in attempt to escape but all it did was result in pulling at the rope and hurting himself more.

"Brother!" Darius screamed.

"Darius!" Leandros shouted out at his sibling's torture. He pulled and twisted, but his own bindings did not budge in the slightest.

"Ah-ah, Leandros," Ivan grinned, noticing. "Remember what I said?"

Making sure that Leandros was watching, he tied the end of the rope around a tree root sticking out of the dirt, leaving Darius helplessly suspended above the ground. He picked up a rock from the floor when he realized Darius was far too high for him to cut out his tongue as he had promised. Instead, Ivan tossed it up in the air a couple of times, contemplating with torturous patience before launching it at the man hanging by his wrists. There was a sickening crunch as the rock slammed into Darius's face. As he turned, Leandros saw the blood covered bone as it protruded out of his cheek.

"No!" Leandros cried. He pulled harder, struggling again at the rope. It rubbed at his skin; it felt raw as it cut into his skin, but nothing felt as raw as seeing his brother, broken and hanging. "_Darius_!"

Turning his back on him Ivan nodded to his men, encouraging them to pick up rocks around their feet before muttering one command. "Kill him."

All at once the men began their assault. Leandros's heart dropped as a wave of rocks pelted Darius where he hung. Leandros heart felt like it was turning inside out as he watched helplessly from where he sat. Wounds opened all across every bare parts of Darius's body as the sharper rocks sliced through his clothing. Blood soaked through his tunic, staining it.

"Stop!"

"No _you_ stop!" Ivan growled suddenly appearing before him. Leandros had been so distracted by the torture Ivan's men were inflicting on Darius that he had lost track of him.

He knelt by him now, his hand squeezing tighter and tighter around Leandros's neck. Leandros fought back as much as he could, forcing air into his lungs as he felt the blood rush to his face. He kicked and shook his head, but Ivan only pressed harder in response.

"You and your brother have been nothing but a thorn in my side!" Ivan spat. "It's _because_ of you that I'm here in the first place. He brought this upon himself, as have you! If that son of a bitch had never raided my village I never would have followed you all back!"

Leandros coughed as Ivan loosened his hold, letting him gasp air back into his lungs. While he recovered, Ivan continued, "I thought you were strong. I pitied the weak people in my village for the way they just ran away. I had no choice but to leave, or stay forever in that abysmal place and be stained by the fragility that lingered." He looked back at where the men still stoned Darius and sighed in disappointment. "I thought he was stronger than that; that he was someone to be feared but admired; followed by those who longed for a great leader, but instead he turned out to be soft, pathetic and sympathetic. A waste."

Leandros growled, the fire building in his stomach. He didn't know which feeling was stronger, the need to throw up or the need to kill the man before him. Judging by the way he struggled against his bindings and the way his teeth clenched in fury, he knew it to be the latter. All he wanted to do was wrap his hands around Ivan's neck until he twitched as the rest of his life left him. He had never killed before, but he would gladly take Ivan's life.

Seeing the wrath in Leandros's eyes, Ivan's face lit up and he smiled cruelly. "However, maybe you can redeem yourself hmm, gentle warrior?"

"I will never join you or your men! You disgust me!" Leandros spat.

Ivan barked with laughter, rising to his feet with his arms lifted as though to embrace Leandros. "There it is! The fire you have in your eyes. The hate. You feel it, don't you? You feel it filling your body, rushing through your veins to become part of you. That is what a warrior is about. The killer inside is screaming to be released! Where was that warrior when he was needed? Where was the strength and danger you emanate right now?"

Ivan waved off his men's attack. Instead, he pushed them back and took their position. Leandros noticed the sharp looking rock Ivan rolled in his hand and felt his stomach flip sickly.

"Ivan, leave him be! He has suffered enough! Let us go!" Leandros shouted at the top of his lungs, begging him to stop.

The damn rope kept him bound. There had to be something around that he could use on it. Keeping his eyes trained on Ivan, he moved his hands as much as the rope permitted, and scoured the dirt around the tree he was tied to for something sharp.

"I do not think so, boy," Ivan said. He threw the rock directly between Darius's eyes.

Darius's head reeled back on impact, whacking the tree behind him. Seeing Darius's eyes close and the fresh blood fall from a slash in his brother's forehead, his head falling forward limply, Leandros screamed at the top of his lungs. The sound seemed to catch Ivan's attention. He looked at him as though a giant Minotaur had just appeared. As the sound ripped through his chest, Leandros could hardly believe the sound came from him himself. But none of that mattered. He didn't care how he sounded. The only thing he wanted to do was launch himself at Ivan, and when he heard the rope snap under his efforts and strain, the idea became a reality.

He pulled away, screaming, and ran to Ivan as he lifted another rock obviously meant for him. Before he could use it, Leandros snapped his hand forward and punched him. The impact knocked Ivan back and he tripped, dropping the rock.

They fought on the ground. Leandros could feel every single punch that landed against his ribs, momentarily winding him for a second. His anger and hatred spurred him on, however, numbing him to the pain. Instead, he dealt his own punishment; he slammed his fists into every inch Ivan left unguarded. He was deaf to the sounds around him. In his rage, Leandros heard nothing but the sound of his heavy breathing, flesh hitting flesh, and the sound of blood rushing in his ears.

Then suddenly, as if he weighed nothing more than a boy, he was wrenched away by unknown hands and lifted, held securely in the arms of his faceless attacker.

"Bastard!" Leandros cried, struggling against the arms with tears in his eyes. "My brother did nothing to you! _NOTHING_! Why couldn't you just leave us? We were planning to stop! To leave and live a normal, good life! Why couldn't you let us go?"

Ivan's men attempted to help him to his feet, but they quickly learned to leave him when he snapped and punched at their waiting hands. He spat blood upon the ground and wiped his chin with the back of his fist, glaring at Leandros with fiery eyes.

"Because I will not allow a weak man in my new army or leave it to infect the world with love. The only good gentle man is a dead one!"

In a matter of seconds he loped over to him. Ivan released a fury of his own punches upon Leandros until he could feel every single bruise that peppered his torso. "You will learn…to respect…the ones…who are stronger…than _you_!" Ivan commanded, punctuating every break of words with a punch so hard it winded Leandros. "Perhaps you need the right motivation?"

Opening his eyes, Leandros caught the silvery wink of Ivan's dagger. It smiled at him menacingly as he watched it. It was when Ivan raised it into the air, poised to strike when Leandros heard it. It was a strangely familiar sound, but he couldn't remember where he had heard it from.

A sound tore through the air. A mixture of a screech and promise of danger ripped through the clearing, silencing every single man present. Then he caught it out the corner of his eye. It flew across the clearing, sliced through Ivan's dagger as though it was nothing but cheese, and ricocheted off of the trees. It cut through the rope holding up his brother. As is left, Leandros watched the body of his brother fall heavily against the ground. When he finally managed to wrench his eyes away, he looked up and saw Ivan was still looking at the hilt of his broken dagger, clueless as to what had happened.

The sound of the war cry echoed off the trees and when he realized who had come, Ivan's face paled considerably.

Leandros looked over and shouted desperately. "_Xena_!"

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><p><em>Thank you for reading (and having patience DX lol). Constructive feedback is welcome. If you notice any grammarspelling errors I may have missed, please inform me in a PM._


	41. Retribution

**_A/N: This chapter contains **strong violence and ****language that may be distressful to some readers.**_**

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><p>Xena caught her chakram as it returned to her waiting hand. As she replaced it on her clip at her waist, she assessed the scene.<p>

There had to be at least twenty armed men closest to her that she could see, but she knew better. There were more somewhere, scout parties or otherwise, hidden. They dotted the clearing, sword in hand and wearing an angry expression on each of their faces. As she looked closer, she could have sworn that she recognized some of them and by the hateful glare in their eyes, they knew very well who she was. Shuffling and shouting caught her attention.

Held in the arms of a very surly looking man was Leandros, bloodied and beaten, yet still alive and literally kicking at the man that stood in front of him. It looked as though he had been lashed with a whip made of knives by the cuts that peppered across his face and chest. She couldn't understand how he still managed the strength to struggle. From the look of him, the blood loss alone should have weakened him. Still, he attempted to pull away, trying with everything he had to reach the tall man in front of him. The man in question just stared back at her, his dark eyes narrowed and dangerous.

"Put. Him. Down," Xena commanded.

"Don't you dare! You take your orders from me!" the man yelled angrily.

Xena looked at the surly man holding Leandros and he seemed to waver under her powerful glare. He looked from her to the man and back again, contemplating which one of them would be more dangerous to disobey. Finally, he decided.

Leandros fell to his feet. As soon as he was able, he twisted around and slammed his fist into the surly man's face, instantly knocking him out despite his massive size. He turned to the leader. She watched them as they fell into a stare-off until Leandros slowly returned to her. He was breathing heavily, but she couldn't tell whether that was because of exhaustion from fighting in the man's arms, or from fighting back the storm she saw behind his eyes.

"Leandros? What have they done to you? Are you okay?"

She hadn't forgotten what she herself had done to him. She still felt guilty for breaking his nose. However, the cuts and blood that covered his face concealed any sign of bruising that he might have had from her attack. She could barely see his skin beneath the red.

They looked at each other with understanding. Leandros nodded, silently telling her he accepted her apology, and turned to face the men, glaring at them all. He pointed to the only man there with greasy black hair and growled.

"That's Ivan! He's taken over; he wants to kill me, you, Darius…_everyone_. He must be stopped immediately, Xena. They all do before they spread like a plague across Dreyas."

Seeing the group of men starting in their direction swinging their swords, Xena chuckled darkly, relishing the challenge. "Then let's stop them."

Shouts erupted from the men upon seeing Xena unsheathe her sword. They rushed toward them as she gave one to Leandros. She noticed him brandished it skilfully. Even after days of being separated from a sword, and lack of experience, Xena noticed his hands wield it as though he was an expert. It seemed practicing with the staff with Gabrielle had helped him with control. As the men rushed them he spun the sword, brushing off attacks easily as they came. She recognized the look of determination on his face; he fought with purpose.

"Xena, look out!" Gabrielle warned from behind her.

She felt the air around her move and ducked when one of the men made a sweeping arch with his sword, aiming to decapitate her. She rolled away and ran him through with her own. As he clutched his stomach, Xena moved to block another blow from another before he had even fallen. She fought them as they came, knocking their blades away smoothly. They were strong but they lacked proper training. They were as skilled as they were confident in their anger. When they moved they did so awkwardly, forgetting to guard. Less of a challenge than she thought, Xena struck them down one by one. They screamed and yelled their own battle cry, desperate to try anything to push her back.

To her right, Gabrielle fought off a couple of men who thought her to be an easier target. Their ignorance earned them a blow to the back of the ankles and a quick face plant. As they fell, Gabrielle slammed her staff against their back, making sure they wouldn't get back up before she looked to her next victim.

Seeing Gabrielle move so skilfully with her staff always left Xena in silent awe. It was as though the bard danced with her enemies, drawing them in with her beauty and innocence, and rectified their poor judgement with swift justice. As one charged her, Gabrielle blocked his sword, pulled her staff across harshly and knocked it from his hand. He didn't have time to register the move and retaliate before he found himself on his back. One quick jab and he was out.

Xena saw Juliette hidden within the bushes and ran over. "Juliette? Are you able to fight?"

"I am untrained in the likes of a sword, and all I have on me is a dagger," the seer replied.

A quick glance around found a man struggling to reclaim his footing. A quick stab to the chest took him out, enabling Xena to steal the spear he'd held moments before. "Can you use this?"

Juliette tested its weight in her hand and stood straight with a determined nod. Like rats coming out of the woodwork, hordes of men suddenly came charging in their direction from the trees. From the matching armour that the already fallen men wore, Xena guessed them to be either scouts or reinforcements who had been hiding away in the trees. They roared as they came at them.

Seeing the number of men, Xena and Gabrielle glanced at each other, shared a smile and turned to face them. As soon as the men were close enough, the warrior and the bard threw themselves into the fray.

Gabrielle knocked the men aside with her staff, sending them over her shoulder, barely giving them a second thought before more came forward to attack. She yelled in surprise when she was suddenly grabbed from behind. The muscular arm that clutched around her neck was too strong to wriggle free from. His grip was like a vice, but it was when she felt his free arm moving down toward her skirt that she began to panic. Hoping to catch him, Gabrielle thrust her staff back, but he just grabbed it and pressed it into her neck, slowly cutting off more of her air.

"What's the matter pretty one?" she heard him whisper at her ear as she struggled. The putrid smell of stale ale and sweat made her gag.. "Too strong for you-_ARGH_!"

The man's taunting words cut off suddenly. As he fell away limply, Gabrielle turned to face her saviour quickly and found Juliette looking at her freshly bloodied spear with wide eyes.

"Thanks," Gabrielle said breathlessly.

Juliette smiled. "No problem."

Gabrielle stood beside the seer to assess the situation. "Where's Xena?"

Xena pushed through the masses, roaring as she slashed and sliced her sword over and across. Leaving a path of fallen men behind her, she soon sound herself left with a giant of a man blocking her path from Leandros and Ivan.

The large man charged into Xena, taking her by surprise with his speed. He seemed to be a mountain. His arms and legs were muscled heavily; patterns of healed scars covered almost every inch of exposed flesh. He growled at as he pushed, knocking her back with his shield. She regained her footing just in time to lift her sword and block his as it came surging down. The sound of metal rang in the air as he continually showered her with powerful hits. Unlike the others, the man seemed trained in the ways of fighting.

Looking for an opening, he constantly pushed at her, waiting for her to fall again, but Xena knew what he was trying to do. At his next push, she leaned back and used his weight against him, creating momentum that sent him flying over her. He landed on his back heavily. Before he had time to get up, Xena flipped over him and sliced at his hand. He dropped the sword and held his injured appendage, screaming in agony. His eyes filled with painful tears and his face coloured with anger. The man reached up to get her. Seeing her chance, Xena plunged her sword into his chest.

Gabrielle ran to her. "Isn't that Darius?" she shouted.

Xena pulled her sword from the fallen man and looked up to see what she was looking at, but the sound of metal ringing in the sudden quiet caught her attention. They watched as Leandros and Ivan fought, seemingly locked in a deathly waltz, their swords meeting blow for blow as both men remained unwilling to back down. As they circled each other, Xena nodded for Juliette to go to Darius. The seer nodded in response and moved quickly toward the prone body at the base of the tree. Xena and Gabrielle followed behind, knocking away any weak or errant attacks of the men still conscious and struggling to their feet.

"_By the gods_, _Xena_! Look at him!" Gabrielle gasped when they reached him. She lifted a hand to her mouth and turned away.

Xena cringed. Her stomach rolled at the sight of the man before her. Juliette untied the rope, releasing his wrists; they were broken and fell limply to the ground. Darius stirred and attempted to speak upon their arrival, but the bone jutting through his ripped cheek moved sickly, causing him more pain.

"Try not to talk, Darius," she said, resting a hand on his shoulder.

Juliette cradled him carefully in her arms, his blood already beginning to soak into her brightly coloured dress. Tears sprung from her eyes at the tragic state he lay in. "This is Leandros's brother? He doesn't seem such an evil tyrant as the rumours surrounding him foretold."

Xena shook her head as he looked over to her, the whites of his eyes darkened by bruises and blood. She doubted whether he could properly see her. "I've known him a long time and he was many things: a thief, a warlord, a liar when he needed to be, but one thing he never has been is evil."

Darius squirmed, the strangled sounds of his pain breaking the quiet between them. Bloody tears fell from the corner of his eyes as he moved. He reached out with his hand. Seeing the finger she had accidentally amputated during their fight years before, Xena grimaced and shook her head.

"He doesn't deserve to suffer this pain."

Through quick jabs, Xena applied the pinch, striking areas across his chest and shoulder. With a relieved sigh, Darius's tense body relaxed, and he welcomed the hands that held him steadily from behind. The pain that had once forced his face to twist faded, leaving him to appear as though he had endured none of the injuries that currently peppered his body.

"Where….is my brother?" he asked, his voice croaked.

Leandros ducked, narrowly missing Ivan's sweeping blow. His attention was solely on the man in front of him, but he knew by the lack of noise that many of the men had fallen. He had no idea if his friends were still alive, but then quickly struck that thought from his mind. Of course Xena was alive. She was the warrior princess. The only sounds that punctuated the air were the hoarse rasps of his and Ivan's breathing, or the occasional grunt as one attempted to attack the other.

They continued to circle one another, constantly sizing each other up and waiting for an opening to take advantage of.

"You're not going to win this, Leandros," Ivan said, smiling widely. His eyes became wide as they inspected the small group under the tree. "I see your friends have your brother. They're probably finishing him off, y'know? I know Xena isn't a fan of Darius."

Leandros ignored him. He knew what the man was trying to do. He wouldn't allow himself to be distracted. To do so would mean death. He gripped his sword tighter, moving slowly to match Ivan's steps.

"Oh, you got nothing to say? Odd, you were always a loud mouth little brat in camp. Well, that was until the men showed you where your proper place lied. Darius never came to rescue you, did he?" Ivan clicked his tongue, shaking his head with false concern. "Do you remember every single punch, every stab of my dagger?"

Leandros saw the broad smirk across Ivan's face, distorting anything that resembled a man. All that remained was a mere shade of what could have once been considered human. The evil that resided within the man couldn't be mistaken for anything else but monstrous.

"Oh, I know you do, Leandros. I can see it in your eyes. You remember. Want another taste?"

As Ivan lunged forward, Leandros parried the attack and hit back with one of his own. They sliced at each other again, keeping hit for hit before falling back into another stalemate. Leandros's lungs were burning, his chest aching from exertion and weak already from the wounds Ivan had dealt him earlier. The initial adrenaline that pumped through his veins at the beginning of their fight was starting to wear him down, leaving him feeling sucked of energy, but still he persisted. The evil that was Ivan had to be swept from the world and he would not rest until he was gone from his presence.

Ivan laughed at Leandros's weakened state. He stood straight, still circling, but acted as though he was merely playing with a child- humouring them at their own game. He looked into his blade's reflection and picked his teeth. "Y'know, Leandros," Ivan started, his tone bored. "You're a disappointment, just like your brother and when I'm done with you all, I'm going to create a new army to rival even that of the Romans and lead them across Greece. This world will be mine. I really thought for a moment that you were a man. A man that could be proud to call himself a warrior, but you barely even look like one. Shame really."

Leandros shook his head, smiling. "A wise woman told me once that looking the part has nothing to do with being a warrior if you can't step up to it." Looking out the corner of his eye, Leandros clocked Xena and Gabrielle stood watching him.

Ivan barked out with laughter. "You listened to a woman? Perhaps that is why your hand trembles so as you hold your sword? You have the heart and the guts of a woman, lacking that which makes a proper man!" Ivan grinned grabbing his crotch. "I always thought you were gentle. I blame your mother for letting you cling to her breast too long and making you female."

Anger and hatred blossomed in Leandros's chest at the continuous insulting remarks. It didn't matter anymore that Ivan was trying to get a rise out of him. It was clear from his relaxed stance that he thought him to be no challenge.

While he wasn't looking, Leandros gritted his teeth and barrelled forward acting on Ivan's poor judgement. Ivan barely had time to react before he was knocked over, but he was quick to recover. He rolled as soon as he hit the floor and jumped to his feet, blocking Leandros's next attack. He slammed his blade as hard as he could against Leandros's keeping him at another stalemate. Leandros's arms shook with the strain of holding his sword steady. He could already feel the tickle of sweat dripping down from his temple.

"See? I told you that you wouldn't win this, and after I'm done with you," Ivan sneered as he leaned in close, his voice dripping with malice. "I'm going to really enjoy ripping your brother to pieces."

With a scream Leandros pushed away, lifting his boot to kick Ivan in the gut. The sudden attack caught him unaware. Before Ivan could recover again, Leandros propelled his sword forward with everything he had left, roaring in anger and vengeance. He met resistance as the point of his sword sliced through Ivan's armour and skin, but pushed on, passing the tough muscle until his nose almost touched Ivan's. With eyes filled with shock, Ivan stared back at him, his strangled cry of pain echoing in the quiet.

Feeling movement beside her, Xena reached out, stopping Juliette from running over to the men. Xena shook her head at Juliette's questioning look. "Not yet."

Juliette said nothing as she still kneeled upon the ground, holding Darius's body, blocked off from her soul mate. Instead, she grimaced as she watched Leandros fight his demons. The emotional pain in Leandros's face was laid bare; his eyes filled with angry tears, his teeth clenched together as he shoved the sword further into the man that had tortured him and his brother.

"How…did?" Ivan asked as he looked down in shock to the sword skewered through him. The strength in his voice was already fading.

Leandros grabbed Ivan's shoulder and with one last push, thrust the sword until it was fully sheathed in Ivan's body, forcing another cry from him. He brought his mouth closer to Ivan's ear, ignoring the bloody gargling sound he was making, and whispered the words Juliette had once told him, "Never underestimate anyone, especially those that don't seem the type."

He pulled his sword away and stepped back. Ivan's hands immediately flew to the wound; he collapsed to his knees as his lifeblood gushed from his abdomen. With heavy eyes, he looked up at Leandros. Although he was knelt dying, Ivan still managed to smile up at Leandros, displaying a blood-spattered grin that was both frightening and haunting.

"This isn't…over, Leandros," Ivan coughed. "This isn't over."

Leandros lifted his sword to strike again, but there was no point. Ivan's smile fell from his face as he slowly tipped backwards. The ground beneath him soaked up his lifeblood, coating the ground in crimson.

The quiet was deafening. No sound, not even that of a bird broke the silence. Nothing but the sound of his own ragged breathing acted as his companion. When the red veil finally lifted from his eyes and he had time to react, Leandros's eyes began to sting at the sight of the bloodied sword in his hand. He threw it to the ground, horrified at what he had done. His hands were covered in blood, fresh and warm against his own skin, but that was all he could feel. He was numb from his chest outwards, and it was spreading.

He had killed….his first kill

"Leandros!"

He turned at the sound of the voice and ran over to the small group. "_Darius_!"

Seeing him run over, Xena rose to her feet, pulling Gabrielle up with her to give him more space. They watched in silence as he fell to his knees and cried at the state his brother was in. Darius could barely move, his cheek bone was broken and protruding out of his torn skin and his whole body was covered in blood.

Out the corner of his eyes Leandros saw Juliette watching him sadly, tears in her own eyes as she cradled his brother's dying form. He knew he was going to die. There was no way he could survive the injuries he had sustained, and just the briefest glance in Xena's direction had confirmed his fears. If it was going to be so he would rather stay with him until the bitter end. Without a word, Leandros and Juliette exchanged a look and swapped places.

As he held his brother, Leandros carefully brushed Darius's hair from his eyes. "Darius? Darius, can you hear me?"

Darius blinked slowly. He opened his eyes as wide as he could but they still remained somewhat shut. "Leandros? Brother, is that you?"

"Yes it's me," Leandros sniffed tearfully. He tightened his hold carefully so as not to cause any further pain. "I'm here."

"Ivan…he's a traitor," Darius mumbled.

Leandros glared over at the man's dead body and closed his eyes, breathing slowly. "He's been dealt with. He can't hurt you anymore."

Feeling soft fingers touch his cheek and wipe away his tears, Leandros opened his eyes and looked down. As his brother lay in his arms, Darius stared up at him. After months of barely making eye contact because of the mind affecting poison Ivan had been feeding Darius, seeing his brother look at him directly in the eyes felt strangely scary and comforting at the same time.

"You remind me so much of mother…Leandros." Darius smiled. "She was kind and loving, just like you, and she would be proud to see how you've grown to be the man you are. Forgive me."

"Forgive you? For what?"

"For never listening to you and making you fight. I was blinded to my hatred, but it was misdirected. She was never the enemy…"

Noticing him look to her, Xena nodded at Darius and a look of understanding and forgiveness passed between them. It was over.

Darius coughed violently as blood began to fill his mouth. It fell from his lips and Leandros was quick to wipe it away. "Darius?" Leandros's voice became childlike as he watched his brother's paling face. He resisted the urge to shake his brother to keep him conscious. "_Darius_, don't leave me yet! Please, you can't leave me!"

"I'm proud of you, Leandros."

Darius looked away from them all until his eyes faced skyward. The clouds were beginning to part, the sun breaking through the greyness that had cast over them. The rays of sunlight poured into the clearing, bringing life back into an area so filled with death. As the golden light filtered through the leafy canopies of the trees above them, the birds seemed to find their voices again.

Darius smiled at the sound, a tear escaping his eye. "So beautiful," he muttered.

Leandros looked up to see what his brother was talking about, but his stomach turned to ice when he heard Darius's final sigh and felt him go limp in his arms. He looked down at him and found him staring vacantly up at the sky, his mouth still turned up in a smile, as if he was just pausing to say something. But Leandros knew better. He pulled his brother up into his chest and rested his chin upon his head, rocking him back and forth as he sobbed. Just as Darius had when he had comforted Leandros as a child.

Xena felt her own eyes sting as tears threatened to fall, but it was when Gabrielle wrapped her arms around her, her head resting across Xena's chest as she cried against her that Xena finally let them. She lifted her arm and held the bard to her tightly, stroking her hair as she watched the brothers.

The man she had once thought to be a warlord had been nothing but a man determined to do everything he could to protect his family. Corrupted by the evil in his path, Darius had left himself open to its influence and fallen prey to it, until Leandros discovered himself in time to save him with love.

* * *

><p><em>Thank you for reading. Please, if you can, review or leave a comment. If there are any grammaticalspelling errors I may have missed, inform me in a PM so I can fix them. _


	42. Things Left Unsaid

"Mother?"

Aphrodite waved her hand and smiled. "I'm fine, Cupie. I'm fine."

Her laboured breathing did nothing to reassure him of her words. He frowned and looked out of the temple overlooking Greece. "I wish Hephaestus would hurry up with my bow."

"He's doing the best he can. You know he's probably bashing away at it now in the pits. Don't worry." She smiled as his attempt to look calm.

"I can't help but worry, though, mother. Whatever it was that has broken my bow has thrown everything into disarray. Because I can't do my job, the mortals have turned away from love; they can't see it clearly and because of that, they have turned from you. And look at what is doing to you!" he said sharply.

He pointed at Aphrodite as she lay heavily across the chaise. She looked no better than the time she had been accidentally turned mortal from enchanting one of Gabrielle's scrolls, except this time around, she looked weak. As each day passed, his mother's sassy attitude and sense of humour dwindled. It seemed that even the Goddess of Love couldn't laugh this one off and wouldn't admit how scared she was. Cupid could see it in her eyes. Every time she rose to look at herself and saw the almost unperceivable glow that emanated from all of the gods slowly dimming, a look of silent terror would flicker behind her eyes before she could hide it from him.

Even Cupid had started feeling the withdrawal of his power. It was subtle, but he could feel it. For the first time in centuries he felt sapped; he felt exhausted, as though Atlas had passed him the Earth to hold and his unready arms were quivering from the effort.

"What about your arrows?"

Cupid sighed as he pushed away from the pillar. He walked to Aphrodite and knelt by her head. "I am the God of Desire. My arrows only spark attraction and lust in the mortals; they need you in order to recognize love in another. Without us both I fear they will lose the ability."

"You don't have to fear that happening, boy."

Both mother and son looked up suddenly at the joyful sound of Hephaestus's voice hitting the air as he entered the room. He held above his head Cupid's bow. Not a replica or a remake, but Cupid's actual bow repaired and perfect.

Cupid rushed over and grabbed it, looking it over with wide eyes. "My bow! You repaired it"

Hephaestus pushed the god playfully. "You expected any less? I told you I could do it."

Cupid pulled him close and hugged him tightly, "I never had a doubt, Heph!" As he extracted himself from Hephaestus, Cupid looked to Aphrodite and showed her the fixed bow with a smile. "Look, Mother!"

Aphrodite reached out and touched the bow. As soon as her fingertips brushed the decorated handle, a rush of energy pulsed through the bow to her. She closed her eyes as it travelled through her body and sighed happily.

"I knew you could do it. Now the mortals can be saved from this wretched love drought and my power can be restored to me finally. And not too soon, either. Look at my hair!" she said, catching her reflection in a nearby mirror.

As Cupid busied himself looking over his renewed bow, Hephaestus moved to Aphrodite's side and sat on the chaise. He looked down at her, smiling as he brushed hair from her face. "You couldn't be anything but beautiful to me, my goddess," he said.

He bent to kiss her forehead but at the last second, the Goddess of Love tilted her head up and captured his lips in an unexpected kiss. He froze in shock, but as Aphrodite stroked his face, Hephaestus fell into the inviting warmth her soft lips offered. His whole body felt energized and alight with a passion he had thought long forgotten as her mouth moved skilfully against his own, tempting his into a dance of skin and love. She moved below him, responding positively to his touch. Something he thought would never happen again.

"You could at least tell me if you want to be alone, y'know!" Cupid sighed.

The immortals broke the kiss with a chuckle and as Hephaestus leaned back, hovering slightly above her, Aphrodite felt a rush of happiness and love blossom in her chest. _Why did I ever let you go?_ She thought solemnly.

"Hey, you don't have to stick around, boy," Hephaestus joked, winking at Cupid who just cringed in response.

Aphrodite smiled. "Sorry, Cupie. I almost forgot you were there. It seems that just having your bow back in working order is already having a positive effect on everything."

Hephaestus smiled as he stroked the goddess's supple check with the backs of his fingers. "Just doing my job."

"And you do it well," Aphrodite replied, grinning naughtily.

Cupid rolled his eyes at them. "Okay, I think it's time I get out of here before you completely gross me out."

Before he left, Hephaestus quickly rose from the chaise and approached him. "Wait, before you do, I have something very important to tell you both. It's about the bow, and you are not going to believe me when I tell you!"

Aphrodite sat up suddenly. "How bad is it?"

The god turned to her, his smile gone and seriousness darkening his features. "We need to tell Zeus."

~X~

All the women were silent as they sat around the campfire. The sun had long since fallen behind the horizon and the moon had taken its place, cloaking the earth in darkness. The only sounds that broke the natural silence were the crackling of the fire as it burned away the wood the warrior princess had found, or the occasional detached sounds of a bird cawing from somewhere within the trees.

It had been hours since the small group had banded together to collect wood for a suitably sized pyre for Darius. Xena felt like it was the least could do after everything. As she had helped Leandros in lifting his brother on top of it, memories of Darius floated around in her mind but what troubled her more was the guilt she bore for her army's actions in setting the man on the path that ultimately killed him. Leandros had been quick in seeing her silent distress and reassured her that old wounds had been healed and that they should move on from it. Xena couldn't help but appreciate the change in Leandros. The man he had become seemed a far cry from the boy who had tried to attack them on the way to Dreyas.

She had watched from afar after he had asked for some time alone to think. As his brother's body had been engulfed by the flames, he had stood rooted on the spot, staring into them. The look of pain and sadness that had covered his face had relaxed into something somewhat resembling someone in deep thought. Nothing like the boy he had been a week ago, Leandros stood tall with heavy shoulders, emanating a type of silent strength Xena had only seen in the battle hardened warriors she had come across in her past.

She sighed as she rose. "I'm going to go check the perimeter again."

Gabrielle stood too. "Do you want me to come?"

"No, it's alright. I won't be long. Just," she looked down at a longing Juliette and melancholy Leandros before looking back up at the bard. "Just look after them until I get back."

Gabrielle nodded. When Xena disappeared, the bard sighed, catching the attention of the seer.

"Are you okay, Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle sat again, resting her staff against the log. "Yes. I'm just tired, I guess. It's been a long day."

"Though I can agree with you on the long day, I can't say I feel it is the sole reason for your tiredness."

"What do you mean?"

Juliette smiled sadly. "Denying or having feelings and leaving them unfulfilled only makes it harder for us to endure. Your love for the warrior is not unknown to me, you forget."

"Shh!" Gabrielle said quickly, looking around to make sure Xena wasn't around.

"Why '_shh'_?" Juliette asked, surprised. "Don't you think it would be easier and better for her to know?"

"It isn't always good to know things," Gabrielle replied quietly. She looked up at the trees Xena had disappeared through and sighed heavily. Why couldn't things ever be easy?

"But knowing more can leave us enlightened," Juliette replied.

Gabrielle rubbed her forehead at the seer's cryptic words. "Is it too much for a straight answer in this day and age?"

Juliette smiled. "How did Xena react when I kissed you?"

The bard's eyes snapped open. She blushed at the memory of the kiss until she remembered Xena. Her friend had reacted strangely. Though she had tried to shrug it off, Xena's behaviour afterwards had left Gabrielle feeling more confused than anything.

"She seemed a little...distracted," Gabrielle answered carefully.

"She was jealous." Juliette shook her head. "How can one who sees so much in others see so little in herself?"

"You don't know Xena like I do."

Juliette stared at her for a long time. "If you do not know the warrior's heart, can you be sure you really know her?"

Leaving Gabrielle chewing over her words, Juliette glanced over at Leandros and sighed mournfully. Every now and then they would see his hand tighten around the handle of his sword. Gabrielle knew, however, when he remembered how he had used it to kill Ivan as he would release it and cover his eyes as if in regret or disbelief, as she had done whenever she came close to anything remotely resembling a knife.

"I hate to see him suffering so," Juliette said quietly, saying out loud what Gabrielle was thinking.

Gabrielle nodded solemnly. She finished eating the rest of her fish she had cooked before answering. "He has had a lot to deal with this past week. I'm surprised he is remaining so strong. Not only over the death of his brother, but handling his first kill, too. I was a wreck after mine."

"He is strong. His heart and soul are well matched in strength."

"As is yours, Juliette." When Juliette looked over to her, Gabrielle gestured over at Leandros. "Go and talk to him. He hasn't spoken to any of us in hours, and he has to be hungry. Here," Gabrielle leaned over to lift the fish cooking over the flames and passed it to the seer. "Take it to him and make him eat it. He's gonna need his strength for the travel back to the town."

"Are you sure Xena won't mind?"

Gabrielle waved her hand, smiling. "She won't, and if she does, I can handle the warrior princess," she chuckled with a wink.

Juliette smiled and rose from her log, lifting the hem of her skirt to keep from tripping on it. "Thank you, Gabrielle."

"No problem."

She watched as Juliette moved quietly across to the other end of the clearing. She gently touched his shoulder until he was forced to look at her. When he did, the seer lifted the cooked fish in front of him. It wasn't so surprising to Gabrielle that after many attempts to break him out of his stoic silence, Juliette's presence as well as food finally provoked a reaction.

"You seem quiet," A voice from behind her said.

"_Gods_!" Gabrielle gasped. She turned quickly and frowned at the warrior. "Don't do that, Xena! You scared me."

Xena sat down beside her. "Sorry. I didn't mean to. I did say your name once already but you seemed out of it. You okay?"

Gabrielle looked at Leandros and Juliette together for a moment before looking down at her feet. "Yeah, just thinking to myself."

"Anything important?"

"Was there anybody around?" Gabrielle said quickly, diverting the question.

"Oh, no. We're safe. There isn't a single person around."

"How long do you think it will take to get back to Dreyas?"

Xena narrowed her eyes. She knew when Gabrielle was up to something or when she didn't want to say what she was really thinking. The warrior didn't press her for answers though. As she picked up a stick from the ground and poked the flames, she answered her question.

"It shouldn't take any more than two days. It may be less if the horses we found are up to it."

"That's good."

They fell into a silence that Xena could only describe as awkward. As the silence dragged on between them, Xena sighed. "Gabrielle, what's wrong?"

Gabrielle looked up at Xena and felt her breath catch. The fire cast shadows across Xena's face, dancing and swaying as the soft wind teased the flames. The glow made her natural tan look almost like burnished gold, but it was the warrior's eyes that captivated Gabrielle. As they looked at her, patiently awaiting her answer, they silently appraised her. The look Gabrielle saw in Xena's eyes was one she couldn't decipher. Though she had known her for years, the powerful blue eyes watching her wouldn't say anything. Now, however, it felt as though they were screaming out loud and Gabrielle couldn't hear.

Why did her mouth feel dry all of a sudden? Her heart was beating quickly, the blood rushing around in her ears. _Just tell her!_ her mind screamed. She looked away. "I…was just thinking about Leandros and Juliette."

Xena didn't miss the false note in her friend's words. As she looked over at the pair, she heard the almost silent sound of a relieved breath being released. What was Gabrielle hiding? she wondered. "I hope he's okay. It does things to you when you kill someone and lose family all in one day."

"Me too. I don't think it'll be long before he finds love, though."

For a second both woman glanced at each other and smiled.

~X~

"Aren't you going to eat the rest of that?"

Leandros was just picking at the fish now. He tried to eat as much as he could out of Juliette's kindness, but he hadn't the stomach for it. With a shake of his head he passed the rest to her and wrapped his arms around his knees, staring out at the flames once more.

It wouldn't be long now. The pyre had been burning for hours, but he promised himself that he would remain until every last ember died out. Because of the bad situation they had ended up in, he hadn't been there much for his brother in the past. He wasn't going to leave his brother now. He would stay for him; it was the least he could do.

When Juliette had appeared at his side out of nowhere, she had surprised him. He had been so engrossed in his mourning that he'd completely forgotten that he was in the company of friends.

Friends.

Yes, they were his friends. There was no way he could see them as anything but. Though his mission had started out as one of death, he felt that life had come from it. He had friends, his enemy was completely eradicated and though his brother had died, Leandros felt he had a new purpose in life. Whether he would do it alone though still gave him concern.

"You are thinking grave thoughts," Juliette said.

Leandros tore his eyes away from the pyre to gaze at the woman beside him. At the sight of her beauty and her loving eyes, his heart skipped a beat. "I failed him, didn't I?"

Juliette shook her head as she wiped away his tears. She took his hand. "No, Leandros. You didn't fail him. You saved him in his last moments. You showed him that you have stayed true to yourself and earned his respect, his pride…his love. There is no greater gift."

Leandros smiled at that. Though the absence of his brother left his heart heavy, the thought that the last thing he saw was his brother's smile – a thing that had become warped and rare in its sincerity over the years – made him feel lighter than expected. He squeezed the seer's hand and reached up to brush an errant hair behind her ear.

"You know, he would have loved to have known you, Juliette. You see the beauty in everything. It lifts one's spirits to feel your optimism."

Juliette smiled at him sadly. "When I held him in my arms, I knew instantly that he was your brother. I could feel the kindness in his heart. A trait you possess so easily."

"I'm glad he was able to forgive and forget. The same goes for Xena. There was so much bad…it took over him. I didn't think he would ever break free from the shadows."

"He had you. If he hadn't, I fear the fight to break from it would have made it harder on him and he may not have broken free." As he glanced up at her again, Juliette reached toward him and cupped his stubbled cheek. "You both have the same eyes. You have such wonderful blue eyes, Leandros. So full of love."

Leandros was quiet for a moment as he watched her big brown ones flickering over his features. He just wanted to look at her, drink in her features and burn her image onto his mind. He laughed when she realized she still held him and took her hand back. "Y'know, though you are usually right, you are wrong about one thing, Juliette."

She looked back at him, obviously confused. "Wrong? What about?"

"You said there is no greater gift to me, but I must disagree with you. Juliette, my brother and I have been at odds for years. The fault may not have been ours but it was what it was. He is gone in body, but he shall always remain in spirit. We had our time; I knew my brother for the loving, albeit misdirected man he was, and I will always remember and love him in here," Leandros said, patting his chest. "However, I fear my heart is missing a part of itself."

Juliette shook her head. "You have a big heart, Leandros. None is missing."

Leandros smiled. "I'm afraid I must disagree again. You see…it is missing because I need something to make it whole again. Its other half." He put his finger beneath the seer's chin and lifted her face until she looked at him. "I need you, Juliette. _You_ are my gift."

The sight of her blush colouring her cheeks made him smile and his heart begin to race. There had once been a time that he had only ever dreamed that he could make a woman as beautiful as Juliette blush. To see it become a reality made his heart light and just reminded him of how far he had grown from the bashful, stumbling idiot he became around them.

"Me?"

He brushed his thumb across her soft cheek and watched her lean into his touch. "Juliette, I have heard tales before sung by bards, spoken by poets and teachers that love is blind, and I believe it to be true. I was blind when I first saw you. Do not misunderstand me. I could see that you were beautiful, but my heart was closed and disbelieving and I couldn't allow you to enter. It has only been during these past few days that I have truly come to see you again with new eyes."

"Leandros-?"

Leandros pressed his finger against her mouth, immediately losing himself in the soft feel of her lips. His eyes became hooded as he watched her pale lips blush with colour as he brushed his thumb across them.

"When I look at you, my Seer," he said softly, leaning closer. "I feel happier than I can ever remember being. I wake up longing to see your face, knowing that when I do, my day will be complete. Never before have I felt this way about anyone. Juliette, when I am with you I feel complete – as though my soul already knew you. Does…does that sound stupid?"

"I understand what you mean perfectly." Smiling with tears in her eyes, Juliette shook her head. "My soul knew you, too; I saw you in my vision."

"And I never saw you coming."

Juliette released a small chuckle at his jest before Leandros leaned the rest of the way and pressed his lips against hers. "I love you, Juliette."

~X~

"I think my heart is going to burst," Gabrielle said as she carried the wood over to the fire. She piled it on carefully, stacking the rest nearby.

"What's up?"

"Leandros and Juliette; they're embracing like a couple." Gabrielle smiled widely as she sidled down next to Xena, facing the little campfire. "I'm so happy for them. I'm glad they finally said how they feel about each other. I know Leandros has mentioned her a little over the week."

"Leandros really needs someone right now and I sense Juliette will be a good influence on not only him, but his healing. After what he's been through he deserves a chance."

"So does Juliette. It was saddening to see her so torn about him." Gabrielle sighed as she rested against Xena's shoulder, tucking herself into her side. The warrior's warm skin heated her cool cheek. "I'm just glad she was able to tell him how she felt in the end."

Xena smiled. Wrapping her arm around the bard's shoulders, she pulled her close and laid the furs over them until they were both covered. "I know. It's really frustrating when you see two people who are meant for each other but are two oblivious to do anything about it."

"Isn't it just?" Gabrielle yawned.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Xena."


	43. Frustrated Desires

"We haven't far to go now."

They had continued to travel at first light, the sun burning at their backs, each member of the small group astride the two horses they had stolen from Ivan and his men. Hours had passed since Darius's body had been committed to the flames. Leandros hid away the ashes in a jar inside his bag. None of the others questioned his actions. Though Leandros had made his peace with the death of his brother, the solemn shadow that cloaked him following it kept them at arm's length and none knew what else to say or do to give comfort. All it seemed but Juliette.

Xena had silently watched over the couple as they rode beside her, their expressions reflecting the sadness they left behind, but the evidence of their newfound relationship visible in the slightest unconscious touch of their fingers, or Juliette's arms as they wrapped around Leandros while they sat upon the dark steed. They appeared perfectly matched for one another. The seer's light lit up the depressing darkness that threatened to swallow Leandros, and the warrior's kindness and protective nature kept Juliette safe and her heart whole.

She said nothing and smiled when they looked to her, but inside, Xena's body cried, her arms aching to reach out and hold the one she knew in her heart to possess the other half of her soul in the same way.

Gabrielle sat between her legs on the horse, the warrior's arms looped under hers to keep her securely placed as she held onto the reins, but every accidental brush of her arms against the bard's warm, soft body and the enticing scent of Gabrielle's washed hair filled her nostrils and set her blood alight and racing in her veins. It had been easy to ignore the feel of the bard's body against her own as they travelled atop Argo in the past, but during their time within Dreyas, every day had been a trial; a test of her willpower. Each passing moment she spent with Gabrielle left her victim to the undeniable beauty and seductive form of her best friend, but Xena couldn't drown out the silent cries of her longing body from denied desires.

Hearing the warrior sigh in frustration Gabrielle looked behind her. "Xena? What's wrong?"

Gabrielle realized rather lazily that she'd fallen to sleep. The unrelenting heat, the rhythmic trot of the horse and the security of her best friend's arms around her had left Gabrielle in such a lethargic state that she hadn't been able to keep her eyes open. She had fallen between the lines of reality and dreams, never staying in one realm for too long and, and upon hearing the frustrated moan, her eyes had snapped open.

Xena shook her head. "I'm fine."

Gabrielle narrowed her gaze. The warrior looked flustered and seemed to be breathing quickly. As she moved slightly, her hand brushing against Xena's thigh, she noticed the warrior stiffen as though in pain. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I'm alright."

"You don't seem it. Xena, you're burning up," Gabrielle noted when she pressed the back of her hand to Xena's forehead.

"It's the heat, that's all. We need to find shade soon and some water. We're running out. The water skins we found on the horses won't last us until we return to the town, and if we don't get out of the sun we'll fry."

Gabrielle nodded and returned to her previous position, leaning back gently against Xena. She felt the woman stiffen again but Xena never complained. "I'm so tired, Xena."

"I'm not surprised. The fight must have really exhausted you. Even Juliette is having a hard time trying to stay awake," Xena said, nodding toward the sleepy seer.

Juliette's face was turned in their direction as it laid against Leandros's back, her eyes closed and her arms loosely wrapped around his waist, bouncing with every stride the horse took. If Leandros had not been holding onto her, Xena guessed Juliette would have fallen from the back of the horse a while back.

Gabrielle chuckled. "It seems the sun is having the same effect on her, too."

"Seems like it." After quickly scanning the area, Xena concluded that it was safe to stop for a while. She pulled on the reins, halting the horse in its tracks. "We'll stop here for a while. I haven't heard anyone following us, and it seems safe. I'll scout around for a river and food. Why don't you start a fire?"

Gabrielle nodded and slid off the side of the horse carefully. After a nod to her and the others, Xena turned the beast down the path and disappeared quickly. Leandros was in the process of coaxing Juliette gently awake when Gabrielle turned to them. She lifted her arms to help the seer descend safely.

"Thank you, Gabrielle," Juliette yawned once her feet were on the floor.

"No problem."

"Where is the warrior princess?" the seer asked, looking around.

Gabrielle waved her hand in the general direction Xena had left. "She went to go find water and food." The bard looked around them and saw the huge tree they stopped under had a massive canopy. Its branches stretched across to the other side of the path, shading the area efficiently from the sun. "We should start making a fire for when she gets back."

Leandros jumped from the horse. "I'll find the firewood," he offered.

"I'll-" Juliette's words were interrupted by a giant yawn that left Gabrielle and Leandros grinning with amusement.

"You will close your eyes and rest a while," Leandros finished for her gently. "It has been a long day for us both, and you need your strength."

"What about you? You need to redress your wounds and you have lost a lot of blood from your injuries."

Leandros bit his lip in thought. "I feel fine for now. Unfortunately, I have had experience dealing with this sort of injury a lot in the past so I know how to keep my strength." Seeing the worried look on Juliette's face he smiled and tiled his head. "However, when I get back, would you help me dress them again if it would relieve some of your worry?"

"Okay," Juliette said, sounding suddenly awake.

"Then I'll be back soon," he said, reaching across to silence any possible protests with a kiss. He turned to Gabrielle and smiled. "I won't be far. I'll shout if I find any trouble."

The bard gave a smile and nod. Chuckling as he left, Leandros headed for the trees, his hand on the hilt of his sword and a look of focused determination upon his face. Once he was also gone from sight, Gabrielle and Juliette set upon setting temporary camp. They herded the horses under the shade, tying the reins to low hanging branches. While they grazed, Gabrielle plucked any pieces of dry wood from the ground she could find and threw them into the circle of rocks they put together for a fire.

"Didn't you get any sleep last night, Juliette?" Gabrielle said suddenly.

The seer's head popped up. "Hmm?"

"Last night? Leandros said that you'd both had a long day, and seeing as it is only midday he must have meant that you must not have slept last night?"

Juliette blushed and turned her face away slightly, bending to pick up the twigs in front of her. "Sleep did not find us, no. We spent most of the night talking after you and Xena had fallen into Morpheus's realm."

A sly eyebrow. "Just talking?"

"Yes."

Embarrassed, Gabrielle scratched her head and lowered her gaze. "Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to imply-"

"It's okay, Gabrielle. I understand your curiosity, but Leandros is a gentleman as well as a gentle soul. I know in my heart that he would not try anything until we are more comfortable with each other." Gabrielle noticed the way Juliette's eyes slightly glazed over as she day dreamed, and the slight way the corner of her mouth turned up in a half-smile. "I enjoy his company; it has been a very long time since I last found myself comfortable in another person's arms, even if only for comfort, and especially a with a man. I felt safe."

Juliette looked so happy. When Gabrielle tried to remember the last time she felt that happy, her heart sunk with disappointment. The most recent memories she had of spending time with Xena involved fighting and killing her daughter and grandson back in Potidaea, before coming to Dreyas and finding people turn up dead. She sighed heavily and sat on the ground, gently kicking the blades of grass at her feet. It seemed they hadn't spent a lot of time together lately that didn't result in death. That thought alone depressed her.

"I'm happy for you, Juliette. I wish I had the kind of happiness you have that makes your face glow as it is."

Juliette came over and kissed her cheek, smiling widely. "You will…soon."

~X~

Xena gasped loudly as she resurfaced. The water around her churned and bubbled, rippling away from her as she fought to catch her breath. The river was brisk despite the heat. Its chill made the hairs on her arms stand on end and she trembled where she stood in the water, but she needed it. It had been getting too much again and she had almost lost herself. It was easy to though. Far too easy. Whenever she let herself think of her name, Gabrielle's face floated into her vision, blocking everything else. It made her heart race more than usual whenever she thought of the bard. She couldn't understand why her feelings were coming on so strongly again. She closed her eyes and focused on steadying her breathing back to normal, but the task proved hard when the bard flooded her thoughts as soon as she did.

Gabrielle's body, the soft strength of her form pressed against her. The warmth of her skin against her own. The fresh smell of her hair filling her nose. Xena lost herself in the daydream again, letting go until she berated herself on allowing herself to think of Gabrielle like that. She tried distraction, but when she felt how warm her thoughts had made her blood feel in the chilly water, it didn't help her cause. In spite of her attempts, Xena couldn't deny how it made her feel to think of Gabrielle as a lover. It was easy to fall into the fantasy and embrace it with open arms. Who better to fall in love with than her best friend? Gabrielle knew everything about her and still loved and accepted her, despite her darker side; Gabrielle respected Xena and thought her reliable, even throughout her struggle. It seemed perfect.

Except for their friendship.

Gabrielle was too important to her to mess up what they had already. The thought of losing Gabrielle as a friend if she made a move and scared her away made her sick. She couldn't be away from the bard. Over the past few years, Gabrielle had been the only constant thing in her life; a steady hand that always promised to be there, love her and accept her. To think that hand gone, and Gabrielle's smile forever from sight made Xena's heart break.

_What can I do, Gabrielle?_ she thought dejectedly as she turned her face up toward the sun. _How can I love you when my heart won't let me? _Could_ you love me as I love you?_

"Is everything alright?"

Xena opened her eyes. She had heard Leandros approach, thinking him to pass by, but her unusual cold water mini dip must have drawn his attention. He stood atop the sandy banking, his arms already filled with firewood. How long had she been brooding in the water?

"Yes."

Leandros looked at her uncomfortably. Her tone didn't reassure him to her words. Her face looked as cold as her voice. He tried to lighten the mood. "Is it cold in there, Xena? I would have thought it was warm from your face."

Xena looked at him, a deadpan expression. "Funny."

He sighed and stepped closer, moving carefully when the sand shifted under his boots. He piled the wood at his feet and began his decent toward the waterline. "I know how you feel, Xena."

"How could you possibly know what I'm feeling?" she snapped.

"Xena…I know of your feelings for Gabrielle."

Xena paled. She frowned at him and rose from the water. "And?"

"And what?"

"And how do you feel about that? The last time I checked, you had scampered off after the other night with her."

"Because you broke my nose!" Leandros protested.

"Because you'd had your hands on her!" the warrior retorted.

Xena narrowed her eyes and Leandros stared back at her, mirroring her expression. She couldn't help but smile inside at his boldness. The change in him was still remarkable. He no longer resembled a boy. Of course, the haircut and clothes helped, but he had proved to her in the past week that he could escape his demons, and with plenty of her own, that was something she could admire.

"I know. I'm sorry about that," she finally said, lowering her gaze guiltily at the memory.

Leandros smiled. "Like I said, Xena. It was nothing but a misunderstanding. You mentioned that you weren't even you when you did it, right? It's all water under the bridge and Juliette had reassured me of it anyway."

Xena quirked an eyebrow, smiling. "How are things between you two? Are you and Juliette alright?"

"I couldn't be happier right now. Juliette? She is my other self. My missing piece." Leandros paced the banking, pocketing his hands as he stared out at the glittering surface of the water. The sun blazed upon them, instantly drying Xena's leathers and armour. "I know it sounds silly to speak of such things – I am not a poet, but I feel as though she is the one my heart has been waiting for."

"Is that so?"

"Back in the camp, while the men boasted about taking women and using them and their heart, I thought about nothing else except finding the one I could give my heart to. Nothing else has ever felt as right as it does when I hold Juliette and tell her that I love her."

Xena smiled. "I'm happy for you."

Leandros turned to face her, a smile on his own face. "Thank you. And I am happy for you."

"Why?"

"Because you have Gabrielle and you love her."

"Yes I do."

"When will you tell her?" Leandros asked.

Xena sobered, her smile faltering. "Never."

"What?" Leandros kept in step with Xena as she made her way back to the boulder she had left her boots sitting. He stood before her as she slipped them on. "Xena, you must tell her how you feel! She will never know about your love for her until you say something; it will change everything!"

"Leandros, I appreciate the advice, but honestly, I'm not in the mood. I have had a very unusual and stressful week, and I haven't fulfilled my mission yet. Selena still needs me, and so does the town, even if they don't know it. If you haven't noticed, I have more things to worry about than a crush. We still need to get back."

"Xena?"

"No, Leandros," Xena said sharply as she turned to face him. "You don't know what you speak of. Gabrielle is my friend, my family…do you understand how much I would lose if everything were to go wrong? I love her with all my heart and if I mess that up by pushing something on her that she doesn't want then I won't be able to forgive myself, and I don't think it would never be the same if she left. Trust me, I dream of the possibility of holding her in my arms as my lover, but one wrong word and everything could change."

"And that's what you're afraid of, isn't it? Change?"

Xena grimaced and began walking away again, but Leandros remained close, touching her shoulder. "Xena, Cupid has pierced you heart for her. You can't ignore that the gods must have a purpose for their choice!"

Xena glared and shook his hand off. Leaving him to fall back and grab his pile of firewood, Xena stalked off, grumbling to herself. What did he know? It took him ages before he was sure about anything. For someone who had changed so much, it seemed he still remained the naïve, doe-eyed boy in some ways. What was he thinking? It wasn't as if it was that easy. She couldn't just walk up to Gabrielle, grab her and spill her guts to the woman. The whole scene would freak her out. No, she had to stay focused on the mission.

~X~

"Xena, why are you wet?"

Xena glanced down at herself and smiled wryly. "I decided to go fishing."

Gabrielle noticed the distinct lack of fish in the warrior's hands and raised an eyebrow, grinning. "I see that they jumped from your hands and dived back in the river?"

"There weren't many around and the ones that were got away. Because it's hot I decided to have a quick dip while I was there."

Gabrielle chuckled just as Leandros came bursting in through the bushes, panting. "Zeus…you were quick!" he gasped.

"I wasn't walking fast," Xena replied.

With a hefty sigh, Leandros released the firewood and stood straight, popping the stiff muscles in his back. "I know. I think I must have overexerted myself from walking and carrying the firewood."

"You did fine," Xena patted his shoulder. "Do you want me to change your bandages?"

"It's alright. Juliette is going to do it for me later."

They all watched the seer as she slept at the base of the tree, softly snoring away. "Well, you did tell her to rest. Looks like she needed it," Gabrielle chuckled.

Leandros smiled as he sat beside her sleeping form. He rested his back against the tree and crossed his ankles, tilting his face up at the sky to the rays of sunlight that managed to filter through the thick leaves. "It's okay. I think I could do with a little rest, too."

"I don't think you should wait for your change of bandages," Gabrielle piped up with concern.

"Gabrielle, don't worry. The cuts aren't deep; Ivan merely sliced lightly enough to keep it a flesh wound. He wanted to toy with me and Darius; otherwise he would have cut me deeper. I will mention if my wounds begin to hurt again. The bandages will be fine for a while."

"Xena?" Gabrielle implored.

Xena shrugged. "The bandages are only a couple of candle marks old and he stopped bleeding a lot earlier. They will be fine for a short time, but they _will_ need to be changed soon."

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "Fine, but don't come to me if they get itchy!" she called over to his already resting body. He smiled sleepily and closed his eyes.

The two women sat in the quiet for a short time, each listening to the sounds of the crackling fire or sitting back to bask in the heat of the sun. When the sounds of Gabrielle's hungry stomach reached Xena's ears, the warrior smiled.

"I'm sorry I couldn't grab the fish."

Gabrielle smiled. "Don't worry. I'm sure we have some food left in the bag."

Xena shook her head. "The rest of the cooked fished was eaten last night."

"What about the apples?" Nearby, the horses whickered as if they wanted to join in the conversation. The bard glanced over at them and narrowed her eyes when they flicked their tails in her direction, munching something that looked suspiciously spherical. "You fed them to the horses, didn't you?"

"Hey, the horses need to eat, too. They need to keep their strength up to take us back to Dreyas. They aren't Argo, but they're good enough. Unfortunately they possess her appetite for apples."

"Xena!"

"What?"

Gabrielle shook her head and sighed, smiling wryly. "You and your love of horses."

"I just like to know that they are well looked after. I'm sure the stable in town would take them in."

"I'm sure." Gabrielle's stomach grumbled again. Patting her stomach, she looked over at Xena. "I need to eat."

Unable to resist the bard's wide, begging gaze, Xena stood and lifted Gabrielle with her. "Come on then. Let's go."

"Where are we going?"

"Hunting"

~X~

"That is the last time I'm going hunting with you!"

Xena resisted the urge to laugh, even if it hurt. The bard stomped away in front; her back covered in mud and her boot almost hanging off her foot. Gabrielle rested against a tree as she pulled it back on properly.

"Oh, c'mon, you did fine," Xena assured her.

"I told you I can't use a bow properly. I've been practicing, but every time I do I end up shooting the arrow off somewhere I don't want it to go. Honestly, the staff is my best weapon. Why can't I just use that to hunt?"

Resting her shoulder against the tree, Xena crossed her arms and quirked an eyebrow at the younger woman. "Because unless you can throw your staff like Zeus throws his bolts, you have no chance of catching your prey."

Gabrielle pouted. Grinning, Xena leaned forward and pinched the bard's chin. "Don't pout, Gabrielle. I know you can do it."

"Sure doesn't feel like it."

Looking around, Xena found an ideal spot. She let go of Gabrielle's chin and unsheathed her sword. With one strong thrust she drove it into a tree not too far away. Before Gabrielle could ask what she was doing, Xena unclipped her chakram and looped it over the sword handle before making her way back over.

"Um, Xena?"

Xena took the makeshift bow she had created back from the bard and smiled. "Aim for the centre of the chakram. That will be your target." She pulled back the improvised arrow carefully and released, sending it flying through the centre of the chakram cleanly . "If you can do that with this bow, you know you will be able to use a properly made one."

Gabrielle followed Xena directions, standing where she told her to. "Okay, now stand sideways again. It makes you a smaller target and enables you to aim better."

"Okay." Moving as dictated, Gabrielle stood to her side and lifted the bow again. She placed the arrow end against the bouncy vine Xena had cut down, resting the head near her thumb, and pulled back.

She felt when Xena moved. The warrior came up behind her, her body brushing her own. Flames of desire licked its way up her body, making her tremble. She forced herself to focus on the task, to ignore the way Xena's body made her feel, but the heat that radiated from the woman was undeniable. She inhaled sharply when Xena guided Gabrielle's arms, moving them to a better position for aim.

"You need to bend your elbow a little, Gabrielle, and lift your other arm. Make sure to make that one straight when you pull the arrow back taut."

Xena reached over to touch the hand on the bow. She had only meant to move it slightly, but after she had, the woman's skin against her own felt too good to leave and she left it there. Her heart quickened at the touch, and more so that Gabrielle had not mentioned for her to remove it. Why was she doing this? It would only make it that much harder on her when they went back and a simple touch would be unconsciously denied. She looked at the fierce look of concentration blaze in Gabrielle's eyes and smiled at the desire that filled her. Oh well, if she was going to put herself through Tartarus, she figured she might as well try and enjoy it while she could.

She looped her other arm around the bard so that her hand encompassed hers, her fingers shadowing the position of Gabrielle's. The new position forced her closer and left her head hovering near the younger woman's, their cheeks barely brushing. "Can you feel it?"

Gabrielle swallowed at Xena's smooth voice. Their intimate position ignited her whole body. Her body shook, no longer from holding the arrow taut, but rather from the strain of having the woman she loved dearly in such close proximity but remaining unable to reach out and touch her.

She nodded. "Yes." What she was feeling, however, was less to do with the power she felt building in the arrow, and more to do with the intoxicating heat rolling through her body.

"Look down the shaft of the arrow and aim your sight at the chakram."

Gabrielle closed one eye to see better, but Xena shook her head gently. "Open your eyes and you'll see better. You have two, don't you? Use them."

The bard nodded once. "The centre is in my sight."

"Now, let go."

Xena's husky command whispered in her ear sent a pleasurable shiver that melted her all the way down to her boots. She followed the words and let go, watching as the arrow flew across the air, cutting the distance between them and hit the edge of the weapon, ricocheting off to fall elsewhere. Seeing that she'd missed her target Gabrielle pouted, but upon turning she met a wide and proud grin.

"I missed."

"Yes, you did."

Gabrielle frowned at the beautiful but annoying warrior. "Then why are you grinning like that?"

"You still hit it, and with a crudely made bow and arrow no less. If they had been real I have no doubt that you would have hit the centre, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle turned to eye the target once more and tilted her head in speculation. "Do you think so?"

Xena rested her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder. "Yes, I do."

Gabrielle shuddered under the warrior's touch. The woman's strong hand only rested carefully on her shoulder, yet the power and heat she radiated soaked through Gabrielle's clothes and touched her as if she was naked. She dropped the bow and wrapped her arms around the warrior, taking her by surprise.

"Thank you," she said.

Xena glanced down at the younger woman. "No problem."

When the bard looked up at her, Xena felt herself trapped within her viridian gaze immediately. Gabrielle's eyes seemed to sparkle as they caught the sun, almost as if they were gems that held the sun's light from within. The longer she looked the further she fell into them and smiled crookedly at Gabrielle's effortless beauty. Forgetting for a second who she was with Xena reached out, cupping the young woman's cheek. Her smile faded, her eyes intensifying as they focused only on the woman before her.

Gabrielle shivered when Xena's hot breath blew against her face, ruffling her hair out of her eyes, sending it back to tickle her skin. Her stomach fluttered crazily as the warrior stared into her eyes. It felt as though she were looking into the eyes of a lover rather than that of a friend, for she felt a familiar sense of love and attraction she had once felt before when Perdicus looked at her. Caught in Xena's blue fire, she didn't dare move as the woman moved closer. With every centimetre Gabrielle felt her heart skip until by instinct, she closed her eyes.

She had meant only to press her lips to Gabrielle's in a friendly gesture, but as hers touched the bard's, all rational thought escaped Xena. Unlike their other kisses in the past, none of them provoked how they reacted when their lips touched. A surge of adrenaline rushed through their bodies. The kiss began gentle and warm until their desire broke free of their practiced restraints. As Xena pressed harder, the urges of her body screaming out, Gabrielle released a breathy moan and pressed her body closer to the warrior.

It was the sound that did it. When she realized what she was doing and who she was kissing, Xena's eyes snapped open and she broke the kiss, pulling away. Both women were left breathing hard as they stared at each other with wide eyes. When Xena looked at the younger woman before her, her cheeks coloured and her face the look of shock, guilt immediately flooded her. How could she have let go of her senses like that? How could she have lost control of herself and her desires and taken advantage of the one person she loved so dearly?

_What have I done?_ she thought.

Xena shook her head and walked past Gabrielle without a word, wrenching her weapons from the tree. She wanted to hit herself for being so stupid! She had ruined everything. The look on Gabrielle's face said it all. She hadn't expected it just as much as Xena, but what neither of them anticipated was for it to go as far as it had. Her innocent kiss had turned into something primal and raw, something she hadn't meant to inflict on the younger woman. With shaking hands and blood turned cold from her slip up, Xena loped past the bard to get back to the camp.

"Wait! Xena?" Gabrielle called out before her friend rushed off.

She reached out and caught Xena's wrist. As the warrior turned Gabrielle felt her heart sink at the sad expression that looked back at her. She hadn't meant for the kiss to turn out as it had and it looked like she had ruined it all by getting lost in her desire for the warrior, but she couldn't help it. It was as though her whole body had given itself over to Xena's mercy, and from the look of it, she had scared away her friend in the process.

"Xena? I-" she started, unable to voice her apology through stumbling words.

Xena's eyes looked back at her, heavy and sad. "Gabrielle…I-I'm sorry," she said and walked away.

Gabrielle stood in the clearing, dumbstruck and heartbroken over how things had turned out. She watched Xena leave with heavy shoulders until she disappeared through the trees. As soon as she was gone, Gabrielle covered her eyes in attempt to stop the tears from falling, but it was no use and they fell hot against her cheeks.

"What have I done?" she whispered tearfully, wishing she could turn things back.

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><p><em>Hey guys, sorry for the late update. If you can, leave a review to tell me what you think. As usual, if there is any spelling or grammatical errors that might have escaped me, please inform me in a PM and I'll fix them. Hope you like this chapter. I'll update soon :D<em>


	44. Revelations

Leandros watched the women closely. There was something different. Something was wrong, but because neither had said anything and there seemed to be a tangible silence surrounding them both, he thought it best to say nothing. He hadn't noticed anything amiss until Juliette had pointed it out.

He had been sat there slowly turning the rabbit Xena had caught and brought back over the fire. He knew he should have realized something right then and there when she just dropped it without a word and walked away to sit alone and sharpen her sword. She'd worn a grimace throughout the whole ritual, barely glancing at Gabrielle when she returned a minute later. They didn't speak to each other. That in itself was odd, but with his mind occupied by other thoughts, he had missed it. Then Juliette had sat herself down next to him a little later and whispered it in his ear, forcing him to see the difference. The silence, the expressions and the distance between the two women all pointed to some kind of trouble.

"What do you think?" he asked quietly, peering over the flames at them.

Juliette shrugged. "I am not completely sure, but there is a sadness emanating from them. I can see it in their eyes. Their souls appear heavy."

"An argument perhaps?"

"Xena and Gabrielle are wise enough to straighten odds out between themselves. I have a feeling that there is something else."

Leandros turned the rabbit when he noticed the skin becoming crispy. He looked around at the trees. "Then trouble somewhere in the woods?"

"They would have told us." Juliette shuffled closer so he could wrap his free arm around her. She sighed, snuggling into his side. "No, I think that it is more complicated. I believe this to be a matter of the heart."

Leandros was quiet for a moment. "I tried to persuade Xena to tell Gabrielle of her feelings."

"When?"

He nodded toward the trees where the sun was beginning to descend behind their canopies. "When we stopped. I tried to reason with her, but Xena wouldn't have any of it. Still, I understand her hesitation and doubt in the situation. It is too much of a gamble to bet your love on someone who does not love you in the same way and risk losing them as a result."

Juliette smiled up at him. "Gabrielle does love her in the same way."

That stopped him. He looked back at her with wide eyes. "She does?"

"Have you not seen the way Gabrielle steals glances at her when she isn't looking and gazes to her with such devotion and love? It was obvious to me when I first saw them as I arrived. They have a connection that draws them to each other, one that I have not seen in any others I have come across. With each step one takes, the other follows as if their body unconsciously demands it. Xena is fiercely protective of Gabrielle as Gabrielle is with Xena. Their love is evident to everyone but themselves." They both looked at the bard and warrior. "Until they open their eyes to their hearts, what they crave in each other will never be realized."

"Why don't we just tell them?" Leandros began to rise but Juliette pulled him back down.

"To do so would be to play with fire," the seer warned him. She shook her head. "Only if you wish to be burned should you take the risk of saying anything in front of them both. They need to hear it fall from the lips of one another to believe it; otherwise you will risk driving a wedge between them. Until then, they won't be complete," Juliette finished sadly.

Leandros grimaced. "I feel for them. I couldn't imagine my life without the one I love." He looked down at Juliette and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead, pulling her close. "I'm glad you found me."

Juliette smiled then and laced her fingers with his.

Gabrielle's ear pricked up at the sound of the whetstone sliding across the blade, leaving a steely ring to break the quiet air. She shivered. She couldn't understand why, there was no cold breeze. When she risked a glance in Xena's direction, she wondered if she was shivering because she was so far away from Xena, or because the warrior had barely looked at her since they arrived back at camp. It hurt. She couldn't deny that, but she also couldn't deny that it was her fault – her mistake. If she hadn't kissed Xena they wouldn't be acting like this. In the past the torture of sitting close to her but not being able to love her was nothing in comparison to the way the distance felt to her now. Though they only sat at opposite sides of the fire, the space between them felt vast.

She looked over to the couple nearby and felt her heart twist with conflicting emotions of happiness and envy when Leandros kissed Juliette. The action was so tender and loving that her heart cried out, wishing to experience the same thing. Her lips still burned from her kiss with Xena and her cheeks remained hot from the memory of it. She couldn't understand how she had lost herself, but because she had, she had pushed away her best friend in the process.

"Gabrielle?"

Hearing her name called, Gabrielle looked up and saw Leandros waving to her, pointing to the rabbit suspended over the fire. "The food is ready. You had better come and eat some before Juliette eats it all."

Gabrielle chuckled when he received a soft elbow to the ribs for his comment. "I'm coming." Her heart flipped when she risked a glance at Xena. "Um, Xena, are you eating?"

Xena felt her heart skip at the sound of the bard's voice. Her throat suddenly became bone dry. She swallowed and without sparing a glance at her friends she continued her task. "I'm not hungry."

Juliette nudged him encouragingly. "I know I don't cook as well as Gabrielle does," he said, "but I'm sure the rabbit tastes fine. Juliette? What do you think?"

Juliette swallowed her bite and nodded appreciatively. "It's nice."

"Just nice?"

The seer scrunched her nose and looked at him with amusement twinkling in her eyes. "I would stick with playing the lute."

"You truly pierce the heart, Juliette," he replied dramatically, holding a hand over his chest and pouting. "I am mortally wounded."

"I am sure you will survive." She ripped a piece of meat from the rabbit and passed it to Gabrielle.

"Thank you."

While she nibbled at the food, Gabrielle couldn't resist looking up at her best friend every now and then. She noticed that though Xena hadn't stopped sharpening her sword, her hand had slowed somewhat until it looked as though the stone barely whispered across the blade. In fact Gabrielle wasn't sure that Xena was concentrating on it anymore, but she couldn't be sure as her eyes remained shaded by her hair and the rapidly approaching darkness.

"It's quite warm tonight; wouldn't you say so, Gabrielle?" Juliette asked brightly.

"I think it's rather cold actually," Gabrielle muttered darkly. She turned to the seer and saw her looking back at her. There was a look in the woman's eyes that she saw held an unspoken question. She frowned slightly in response and shook her head.

With a sympathetic smile Juliette reached over and touched her hand. "I believe things will become warmer in time."

"I hope so."

Leandros smiled at her. "Things will sort themselves out sooner or later."

Gabrielle glanced over at him, a questioning look in her eyes. What was he talking about? He didn't know of her feelings, did he? "Excuse me?"

A concealed pinch from Juliette to his leg forced him to rectify his words. "I mean the weather. It will get hotter soon. It's getting close to the summer solstice, y'know?" he said then cast an accusing look at the woman wearing a suspiciously innocent expression sat next to him.

"Oh." Gabrielle sighed and stared at her meat. "Yeah, I guess."

Xena looked up at the three around the fire. She didn't know how long she could resist the smell of the food as it wafted over to her. The sounds that were coming from her stomach were horrible, but not as much as the way her stomach twisted with hunger. Her eyes swept over Gabrielle for a second and as if feeling her gaze, the bard looked up. Gabrielle looked so sad. She couldn't take it anymore, but how could she begin to apologize for what happened? Her hunger won out over her hesitance to join them and she rose from her spot.

She sat down next to Gabrielle, being careful not to touch her just in case she might cause her to shuffle away. "I guess I am hungry after all," she said in response to their questioning stares.

They ate in silence, the only sounds coming from the fire, chewing and snapping of animal bones. It had grown so uncomfortably quiet that Xena welcomed an inquiry to Selena and the town.

"Do you have any suspicions about who might be responsible for the bounty on your friend's life, Xena?" Leandros asked around a bite of meat.

"The people I was suspicious of before have turned up dead, so it has shortened the list somewhat, but there is some individuals who are on the top of my list of suspects at the moment."

Gabrielle turned to her. "Who?"

Swallowing, Xena looked back at Gabrielle and found herself falling hopelessly back into those curious green eyes staring back at her. She mentally shook herself. "Silas, the man who works with her at the tavern."

"Silas?" Gabrielle asked. "But he is her friend. Why would he want her killed?"

"Money? The tavern does make a lot of money when people stay there, and because of the publicity she has been getting lately with the rumours surrounding her, people have thought it a taboo and stay there for a thrill. Or it could be to gain ownership. He is a very tight lipped man, one that I have hardly seen talk with others since we've been there. I'm glad Krateros is there watching over her."

"Silas is a strange man," Gabrielle replied. "I have seen him watching her very closely for the past few days, but I thought that was because he is her friend. I didn't realize he could be behind it. But a bounty?"

Xena shrugged. "It would be easy. Hire someone to do the job for you when there are plenty of witnesses about. It would keep his hands clean of blood and he would gain the tavern upon her death because of his position."

"That's one possibility. What about the others?"

"Others?"

Gabrielle waved her hand before her. "You said there were suspects? More than one? Who are the others?"

"Dantorix."

"The healer?" Gabrielle frowned with disbelief. "But he's so nice and sincere. What reason would he have against her?"

"The town is noticeably absent of men, leaving only the women, children or the most frail of men, so he hardly gets business at all. That and he isn't particularly a fan of sapphists as I found out recently. He could have set it up to get her killed so the men that she supposedly forced out would come back, and he would have rid a sapphist in the process." Xena chewed at the rest of the meat and threw the bone into the fire. "I also came to find out that Theodorus was his cousin. I found out by accident."

"When was this and why didn't you tell me?"

"I wasn't completely sure if it was truth or not, and I found out when we were in Theodorus's house. There were letters and documents addressed from Dantorix. Most of them were about his health and such, but I came across a couple that were far too personal to be from just a healer to a patient. It was a little later after the priest's death that I realized that Theodorus and Dantorix were related."

Gabrielle nodded with understanding. "And that's why he'd put the bounty on her. Revenge."

"Precisely."

The kiss forgotten, the two women stared at each other, smiling, until Gabrielle looked out the corner of her eye and saw Leandros and Juliette watching them with amusement. "Oh, I'm sorry. We didn't mean to-"

Leandros lifted his hand. "It's fine. It's interesting to see the process of elimination first hand. I wish I had the mind to understand and work things out as you two do, but I'm afraid when it comes to things of the mind mine is weak." He rubbed his chin and smiled. "It just shows how well matched you are; to understand each other's thoughts and come to a conclusion in matters of importance. Now when it comes to the heart, however…ow!"

Xena watched him rub his arm vigorously. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, _are_ you, Leandros?" Juliette chimed in innocently.

"Yeah, I just…felt a sudden _twinge_, that's all," he said and glared to the woman next to him.

"I think it is time for us to retire. I am still quite tired and Leandros still needs his wounds redressed." Juliette rose to her feet and offered her hand to him. "Are you coming?"

"As long as I don't feel pain anywhere else," he replied dryly.

As Juliette helped him up, she turned her back to them and began walking away. "I would hate for that to happen. However, I cannot promise you anything."

Xena chuckled when he pulled a face and followed after her, still rubbing his arm. She knew exactly what 'twinge' Leandros had felt, and though he had been ceased from carrying on, she understood where his remark would have led. When it came to her heart and what mattered most to it, Xena had a habit of messing it up. Just as she had with Gabrielle. Here they were, alone, only the sound of the crackling fire as their companion. Knowing Gabrielle to be a woman of words, not hearing a single one pass her lips made the silence deafening to the warrior.

She felt her fidget beside to her, caught her looking at her from the corner of her eyes before she looked away, her face colouring. Gabrielle didn't deserve this – to be on the end of Xena's frustration because of the warrior's own stupidity. Gabrielle deserved more than that. She figured an explanation and an apology would suffice for now and she would make it up to her as time went on. Anything to make things go back to the way they were before. If she lost Gabrielle, she knew she would eventually lose herself again.

She turned her body to her and took a deep breath. "Gabrielle?"

"Xena?" the bard said at the same time. They looked at each other, smiling awkwardly. "Sorry, you go."

"No, you go. I didn't mean to interrupt you," Xena apologized.

Gabrielle nodded and took a deep breath, turning to face her fully. Xena watched her friend bite her lip and look at her hands for a long time, seemingly at war with herself. She seemed to decide something because seconds later, Gabrielle glanced up at her with a look of grim determination and sad eyes. "Xena? I am so sorry."

Xena frowned in confusion. "Why are _you_ sorry?"

Gabrielle sniffed, tears already starting to form in her eyes. "Xena, please forgive me. I didn't mean to kiss you the way I did. I just got carried away with myself. I tried to stop but it's hard when it's with you. I thought it would be okay but then I stopped thinking, and now I feel as though I've ruined everything between us and I don't want that to happen because you're too important to me."

Xena stared at the bard, her mouth slightly agape. What did she say? "_You_ kissed _me_?"

Gabrielle frowned. "I know and I'm sorry. I know you won't see me as anything but a friend. I understand that and I won't say another word about it, but please promise me that this won't change anything between us? I couldn't bear to lose you," she said, reaching out to the warrior pleadingly.

Xena felt as though her head was spinning wildly from Gabrielle's words. She tried pinching herself, thinking that maybe she had fallen to sleep, but when the image never changed and Gabrielle remained sat before her, waiting for her to answer, Xena felt her heart begin to swell with a sensation she had never felt before. The bard's words swam around in her mind, prodding her insistently with their meaning, but then what did they mean? Gabrielle owned up to the kiss, blaming herself for it happening and from her expression, Gabrielle was afraid she had broken something between them, just as Xena believed to have done. Did that mean what she thought it meant?

Xena composed her face, fighting the urge to reach out and pull the woman to her as she shook her head. "Gabrielle? It's changed everything," she deadpanned.

Gabrielle sniffed again, turning her face away to the fire. She knew it. She knew as soon as she did or said something that the warrior would never look at her the same way again. Xena's face looked as smooth as marble, her expression a reflection of the frustration and confusion Gabrielle's kiss had caused. She wished she could take it back. If she would she would carry on living her sweet but slow torture and not say a thing. At least then it wouldn't be different. Xena would still be able to look at her in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, Xena."

"Gabrielle?"

The bard wiped her eyes and looked to her friend, coaxed by her gentle and confused tone. A woman looked back at her. It was still Xena, but there was something different about her – about the way she looked at her; the way she smiled and slowly reached out carefully made her look like a different woman to her. Gabrielle didn't move away as Xena took her hand in hers and rubbed her thumb across her knuckles.

"Gabrielle? Is what you said what you think the truth? Do you truly believe that you'll lose me, that anything is ruined or…that I would never see you as anything else?" Xena asked gently, treading carefully with her words.

She watched her friend's face gradually change from upset to bewildered when she listened to Xena's words. Gabrielle stared back at her, her green eyes shiny from the flames and tears; they flicked over the warrior's face quickly, struggling to read the meaning there. Xena smiled gently then and took a deep, cleansing breath and decided to go for it.

What did she have to lose anymore?

"Gabrielle, I love you,"

"I know but I messed-,"

"Please let me finish, otherwise I'll never get it out," Xena said quietly. She squeezed Gabrielle's hand and looked into her eyes. "What I mean is that I am _in_ love with you and have been for a very long time, so you couldn't possibly lose me. I wouldn't allow it," she chuckled. "There is nothing to forgive. The kiss was my fault; I let myself go and got carried away with it." She shook her head and gazed at the floor, sighing. "You don't know what you do to me, Gabrielle. When I'm with you… you make me feel strong and weak at the same time. When you say my name I feel a fluttering in my stomach and every time you smile I feel that I struggle to breathe. You annoy me and make me want to shout at you until I'm blue in the face, but I know I'll always come back to you and want to hold you to me, kiss you and never let you go. I know this because I love you, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle couldn't breathe. It felt as though Xena's words had completely stolen her of air. She wanted to smile and cry and shout all at the same time, but all she could manage was a shocked, speechless expression. Did Xena truly say that she loved her?

Xena bit her lip, anxiously watching the woman before her. It was exhausting, keeping her true feelings from the bard. Being able to finally release them and tell Gabrielle how much she loved her lightened her heart; as if a great weight had been lifted. It was finally out there, and despite the risk of being rejected, she felt happier knowing that she didn't have to hide it anymore. "I know it's a lot to take in at once, Gabrielle, but please say something."

"Xena?" she finally managed. "Did you mean that?"

"Every single word," Xena replied seriously, never taking her eyes off her.

Gabrielle shook her head with disbelief. "Why didn't you ever tell me?" she asked softly.

Xena laughed, the sound breaking off into a sad noise. "Would you have ever believed me if I had told you?"

Gabrielle looked down, unsure. She had often wondered, dreamed even, about how she would act if Xena had ever told her that she was in love with her, but dreams were vastly different to reality. Now she felt confused by the question she had no clear answer to now that it was presented. "I…I don't know," she admitted.

"Exactly."

Xena reached forward and cupped Gabrielle's cheek, caressing her soft skin with her thumb. She smiled to herself when Gabrielle closed her eyes and leaned into her touch instead of recoiling as she thought she might. The small act sent her soul soaring and her blood racing. "But, _gods_, Gabrielle? You have to believe it. When I'm with you I think of no one else. Of _nothing_ else."

A tear escaped Gabrielle's eye and fell onto her cheek as she lowered her face. "Then why? Why did you pull away from me?"

Xena stared, taken aback. "What?"

Gabrielle gazed at her sadly. "I love you, too, Xena. I have done since I first saw you. It was only when I began travelling with you that I realized just how much. It began to extend beyond something that a child would feel for their hero. Instead, I began to feel for you as one would love the one who holds a piece of their heart. I have been trying to tell you for years how I felt for you! Didn't you feel it when we kissed or when you held me at night just how much I longed for you?"

Xena lowered her gaze. "I didn't want to believe it at some point, I guess. I was still focused on redemption and reeling from how much you affected me. You changed me - my heart - and by the time I realized it was too late and you were already married."

Gabrielle felt her stomach drop. "Perdicus…" she said quietly. She shook her head. "Xena, he-,"

"It doesn't matter now, Gabrielle. What is done is done. I am just glad I have told you."

"Why didn't you tell me of your past with women, Xena?"

The warrior blushed. "I didn't feel that it was important enough to mention at the time, and I didn't want to end up sending you down a path that wasn't your own, or might have been influenced by what you thought of me. I have always wished for you to grow and learn and be who you are."

Gabrielle reached out and touched Xena's face, gently coaxing her with a finger to look at her. "Xena, this has always been who I am within. Meeting you only unlocked my potential. Now? I am nothing if I am not by your side, can't you see that?"

Xena smiled back as she ran a hand through Gabrielle's smooth hair. It fell in an attractive tousle; the bright ends sweeping around her shoulders as if they were caressing her. Xena thought the woman before her had never looked more utterly beautiful in her whole life than what she did right now. She nodded and let Gabrielle's hair slip through her fingers, staring until she found herself lost within the depths of the bard's green eyes once again.

"I'm beginning to see that now," she whispered.

"About time," Gabrielle chuckled.

Xena smiled, leaning forward until her face hovered inches away from Gabrielle's. She could already see the blood rushing to the bard's face and felt her own beginning to boil. She waited, hesitated as a woman would as when meaning to kiss someone she cared for about the first time, but then again it was the first time in a sense. New information changed what Xena had originally thought to be the truth about the other woman.

When her lips touched Gabrielle's her world exploded in a wave of sensations and colours, almost blinding her with happiness. She pressed gently against Gabrielle's mouth; her lips felt smooth and sweet.

Xena wanted to keep the kiss light and tender, but remembering their past kiss a couple of candle marks before gave Gabrielle other plans. When the bard lifted her hands to either side of Xena's face, lacing her fingers through her hair to pull her closer and deepen the kiss, Xena moaned and pushed herself more firmly against Gabrielle's mouth. Their lips moved in unfamiliar patterns against each other until they found a rhythm that suited them both and added fuel to the fire that continued to build between them.

Gabrielle's face, already burning from desire blaze when she felt her mouth coaxed open by the tip of Xena's tongue as it slid across her lower lip. The touch sent a pleasurable shiver down her spine and she moaned at the sensation until Xena's skillful kiss swallowed the sound.

Losing herself once more to her desire, Gabrielle pushed herself more insistently into the arms of the warrior; the sudden move knocked them off balance and they fell from the log they'd been sat upon, breaking the kiss. Within seconds Xena found herself on her back looking up at the stars, straddled by a beautiful blonde woman smiling back at her with nothing but love and happiness in her eyes.

"Oops, sorry about that," Gabrielle giggled.

The sound of the bard's laughter lifted Xena's heart. It had been a while since she had heard it unleashed, unburdened by nightmarish thoughts, guilt, or after recent revelations, secret love. She released a laugh of her own and pulled Gabrielle against her chest, holding her tightly. She sighed with pleasure and contentment when she felt Gabrielle's full body weight press against the full length of her own. Her whole body hummed with love and the desire she held for the bard.

She sighed. "I love you, Gabrielle," she whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

Gabrielle rested her cheek against Xena's chest, closing her eyes as she stroked the strong arms that held her. She sighed contently as Xena's fingers gently raked through her hair. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this happy.

"I love you, too."

* * *

><p><em>Hey guys! You know what to do ;)<em>


	45. Deadly Phantoms

It wasn't the sound of the birds chirping in the early morning, nor the bright sun that woke the warrior, but rather the slow, rhythmic feel of a warm body breathing in and out within her arms. It wasn't that it was an unfamiliar feeling to wake up to, as they usually shared the position to gain warmth on cold, late nights. It was the new truths and the new reason behind the position that had her smiling. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had such a good night sleep. She had felt so relaxed and at peace with herself during the night that when she opened her eyes, it felt natural for Xena's smile to stretch broadly across her face as if it did every morning.

She was laid spooning the bard, Gabrielle's head resting on her bicep and her other arm resting lazily over the bard's hip. Her body felt in a complete state of rest as it curled around Gabrielle's back. Reaching over, Xena brushed the hair from the bard's face and felt her heart swell when the woman mewled and wriggled further into her body, sighing happily. The night before had felt like a dream, as if it had only happened in her mind. Waking up to the young woman in her arms made her happier than she could begin to express.

As she closed her eyes again - unwilling to break the peaceful moment - Xena thought back to the night before, running every word the younger woman had spoken through her mind. She tried to think of all the times the bard said she had tried to make her feelings for Xena known, but she couldn't think of any. That was until she remembered every breathless whisper, every single kiss – innocent or not, and every heartfelt word Gabrielle had said. Now that she allowed herself to think of the bard in a romantic, loving way, it felt that every single sign of the bard's love was as obvious as a hit to the face. How could she have been so blind?

"Mmm, Xena," Gabrielle murmured sleepily.

Xena smiled and tightened her arm around Gabrielle's body, brushing her thumb across Gabrielle's exposed midriff. "Morning."

All was quiet and peaceful until Gabrielle remembered where she was and gasped, shooting up into a sitting position. The sudden movement wrenched her away from Xena and woke her more fully, leaving the warrior staring at her with wide but tired eyes.

"What's wrong?"

Gabrielle's big green eyes were full of sleep and confusion as she looked back at her. "I…you…I'm sorry, Xena."

Xena reached up and placed her finger over the bard's lips. "Shh, Gabrielle. What's wrong?" she repeated more gently.

Gabrielle brushed a hand through her hair. "I don't know. I thought that…I felt like-,"

"I might have forgotten everything? Like it might have been a dream?"

Remembering how vivid and tricky her own dreams could be, Gabrielle sighed and nodded.

Xena smiled and sat up. She held out her hand for the bard and Gabrielle moved to it, curling into her side. "Gabrielle, I'm not going to forget how I feel about you or how you feel about me. Not even an eternity could make me forget how my heart beats for you."

"You sound like a poet." Gabrielle's mouth stretched into a wide smile. "You really mean it?"

"I wouldn't lie about my love for you. Not anymore, anyway."

To confirm her statement, Xena leaned down and pressed a kiss against Gabrielle's lips. It was slight and gentle, but the passion she felt in the kiss almost took her breath away. She pulled back and brushed away hair from Gabrielle's eyes. "I could get used to that," Xena chuckled.

"Me too." With flushed cheeks and burning lips, Gabrielle looked over at the strong woman holding her and smiled. "I still can't believe it."

"What? Still?" Xena smiled.

Wrapping her arms around Xena, Gabrielle laid her head on the warrior's shoulder, a familiar place to rest her head. "I just can't believe that I have loved you for so long and in that time your heart has become to belong to me."

Xena closed her eyes. She loved hearing the love and wonder in Gabrielle's voice over something so simple. "Of course it does; it always has."

Leandros and Juliette approached arm in arm, smiles on both their faces and a certain glint in their eyes as they looked at the bard and the warrior. "Ah, if I didn't know any better, Cupid's arrow has struck the heart of two young lovers this early morning," Leandros teased good-naturedly.

"Morning," Xena said, nodding to them.

"Morning. What is the plan for today?" Juliette asked. She knew things had changed between Xena and Gabrielle – that was plain to see, but the warrior could tell when someone was drawing attention away from the topic to prevent uncomfortable probing.

Lifting herself to her feet, Xena brushed the dirt from her skirt and pulled the bard up. "We have to get back. I want to make sure all is well in Dreyas. I need to speak with Selena, too."

They spent the rest of the early morning readying the horses for the ride back, checking to see that they would be able to endure a galloping return. Between tightening the reins and buckles of the saddles, Xena and Gabrielle exchanged the lightest of touches as they passed one another, smiling with their love evident in their eyes. Now that they had opened their hearts, the love they felt was easy to see and they others could feel it.

Leandros quietly watched, happy and relieved that he no longer had to pretend he knew nothing of Xena's feelings for Gabrielle. Finding out that Gabrielle felt the same had surprised him but it wasn't much of a shock. He had known that they were perfect for each other when he had first met them. Their souls were so in sync with each other that it would have taken a fool to think that Xena and Gabrielle were never meant to be.

He made a point of teasing, gently prodding them as a big brother would at their new found friendship. Knowing that he was their friend was the only thing that saved him from a pummelling every time he felt he had gone too far. It was only when he inquired about their bedroll manners that he felt it a safe place to stop. That and the warrior's dark glare. The look had turned his insides in warning.

Gabrielle knew when there was something wrong, but it wasn't because of something she felt. It was the way the warrior turned almost as if to stone behind her on the horse. As they approached the town, the closer they got, the more Xena turned rigid. She didn't give it a second thought at first. She had been too lost in her day dreams of them finally being together. It was only when Xena's arms tightened around Gabrielle protectively that Gabrielle thought something seriously wrong.

She held her hand over the one Xena had on her stomach and turned slightly. "Xena?"

Xena clenched her jaw. "There's something wrong. Can you feel that?"

Gabrielle frowned and looked in the direction of the town. They were ten minutes away at the most. When she focused her attentions on the town there did seem to be some kind of feeling coming from the town, but she guessed it had more to do with the dark and dreary visage it possessed from a distance. It seemed somehow darker, as if darkness had fallen upon it in their absence.

"Feel what?"

Leandros moved up next to them. "Xena?"

"I feel it," Juliette chimed in ominously. She stared at the town and she and Xena exchanged a worried glance. "Something is not right.

Upon approaching the town it became more and more apparent that something wasn't right. There were no sounds, no signs of life anywhere; even the animals seemed to have fallen silent. Not a single bird filled the strangely darkened sky. The sky itself resembled something of a shadow, slowly eating away at the remaining light – a strange contrast given the early hour.

When they reached the arched entrance to the town the horses froze and started to act strangely. They shook their manes as if they refused to walk any further in to the town.

"How odd," Juliette said once they had all dismounted.

"I'll say." Leandros took her hand and frowned at the retreating beasts. "We didn't have a lot of horses in the army so I don't know much, but the horses' behaviour seems strange even to me."

"Something must have spooked them." Xena clenched her jaw. She sure as Tartarus felt a little spooked herself.

Almost ten minutes had passed and not a single person had approached. The darkness that had suddenly fallen upon the town seemed to affect the local folk, too. Whatever it was, it set her nerves on the edge. At least she knew one thing: a god was involved. She could sense it. There was a presence nearby, but who it was, she couldn't be sure.

Gabrielle reached out and took her hand, squeezing gently. "What do you think has happened? Where is everyone? Where could they be?"

"I don't know, but it stinks of god around here."

"A god? Do you think it's Ares?"

"No, this isn't his style, and I'd know if it was him anyway. No, this seems…" her words trailed off when her words were stolen from her. Her stomach twisting from the sight, Xena gasped. The sight of a soldier stripped of his shirt and a symbol carved into his chest made her feel sick. He hung by his wrists, the rope around them tied to the post above the door; the blood still ran from the carved lines and coloured his cheeks. He hadn't been dead long.

"Evil," she finished.

Gabrielle covered her mouth and looked away but remained unhidden from the display of death. Her lip began to tremble as she shook Xena's shoulder. When the warrior looked, Gabrielle pointed to where her eyes remained glued to the atrocity she saw. Outside each house lining the streets was a man stripped of his shirt and the same symbol carved into their chests. Their skin held the promise of life as blood tinted their cheeks, but mocked their former presence with death. Blood pooled on the ground beneath their suspended feet, dripping off the ends of their toes to soak into the grass and dirt, staining the integrity of land.

"Oh my…gods…" Gabrielle whispered.

Seeing the bard's eyes starting to fill, Xena pulled her closer and wrapped her hands around the woman. She pressed a kiss atop her golden head and closed her eyes to block out the images of the dead men.

"It's okay," she promised Gabrielle over and over.

"Who would do this, Xena?"

"I don't know. I shouldn't have left!"

Gabrielle's question left Xena reeling. She had no more of an idea than she did before. She opened her eyes and looked around with remorse until she saw something that made her pause. The outside of one particular house was left free of a body and clear of blood. If her hunch was right, Xena guessed that she would discover the person responsible, or have an answer to who was behind the sudden attack within moments.

Spotting the seer and her man standing, eyes wide and gaping in shock at the morbid display surrounding them, Xena moved over. "I need you to do something," she said.

When the two managed to wrench their eyes away, they grabbed one another's hands tighter than before and nodded. "Anything, Xena."

Xena pointed to the bodies. "Take them down, and for gods' sakes, clean them up or cover them. I haven't seen any women or children yet. If they aren't already dead then they could be hostages. The last thing I want them to see are the bodies of dead relatives or friends."

They nodded again and moved to her order with grim determination.

"What about us?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena gestured over at the house left unadorned by a corpse. "We're going to have a look around and see if the sick bastard responsible for this is still around."

As Leandros and Juliette set about lowering the bodies, Xena and Gabrielle moved toward the only house free of any.

"This is Dantorix's house," Gabrielle observed.

Xena pursed her lips as she pushed the door open. The fact that the door had been left ajar already didn't settle well with her, but as they ventured further in, the dank smell of decaying herbs and dust that permeated the stuffy room gave an air of abandonment. It was as though no one had been in for days though she had known the healer to be in his home before she left. They moved quietly through the house, careful not to knock any of the many bottles of medicine that sat crowded upon the sides. When they reached the back end of the house it was clear to Xena that Dantorix wasn't present.

"Where is he?"

Xena shook her head and frowned. "I don't know."

At that moment Xena felt the air shift behind her. She turned quickly and narrowly missed getting hit over the head with a lead poker. The bearer fell forward to her knees with an audible 'oomph'. Ready to grab and question their attacker, Xena rushed to them but when she realized who it was her eyes grew large.

"Selena?"

The red haired woman turned quickly and looked up at her. "Xena! It's you!" She dropped the poker and flew into her arms. It was all Xena could do to stop herself from falling back when the woman ran into her.

Xena pulled her back at arm's length. "Selena? What's going on here? Where is everyone?"

Suddenly Selena's eyes began to fill with tears. "Xena…they attacked while you were away. They killed everyone!"

Gabrielle's mouth dropped. "Who? Who attacked?"

"They were so quick. They killed the guards and villagers! Oh, it was so fast. They couldn't have escaped if they'd tried."

Dread settled in the pit of Xena's stomach when she realized why some of the men hanging from the doors looked familiar to her. They were the guards she'd asked Krateros to assign to Selena to protect her. Her jaw ticked. She looked her friend straight in the eyes, determination controlling her now. "The captain?"

Selena shook her head solemnly and looked at the floor sadly. "I'm sorry."

As she began to cry again, Xena pulled her close and stroked her hair soothingly. "It's alright, Selena. I'm going to catch the bastard who did this."

"Why are you in the healer's house?" Gabrielle asked gently.

Selena was quiet for a moment before she answered. She turned her face toward the young woman and wiped her eyes. "I came looking for Dantorix. I couldn't find him and by the time I tried to leave the men came looking and I hid until help came. After a while I felt so angry for hiding that I wanted to take revenge. I'm sorry I almost hit you. I thought you were them coming to scour the house again."

"It's alright. I'm just relieved that there's one less person they've got to." Xena let her go and took one look around the house before she gestured for them to leave.

"It's the prisoners," Selena growled. Seeing the confused looks of the two women, Selena explained. "There was a jailbreak. The murderers and rapists that the prison in town held are all free. They somehow escaped. I recognized a few faces as I ran to hide."

"How did they escape? The prison cells were secure and safe."

"I don't know how they got out." Selena stepped away to look out of the window, her voice becoming low and ominous. "The effect of their accumulated power is undeniable. You saw what they did to the guards."

As if by instinct, Xena reached out and held Gabrielle protectively. "They won't get away with this," she vowed.

"We need to stop them before they move on, Xena," Gabrielle whispered, kissing the back of Xena's hand softly. "We have to."

"We will."

"I don't want to lose you!" Gabrielle said suddenly. She tightened her grip on the warriors hands, her eyes wide and serious until she realized how almost angry she sounded. She blushed and looked at her feet. "I don't want to lose you. Not now that I know. Not now that you have my heart."

Smiling at the bard's unexpected outburst, Xena leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "No matter how demented and twisted a few prisoners may be, they won't tear me away from you, Gabrielle. Nothing will."

Sensing eyes watching her Xena glanced up. Selena stared back at them both, a strange look in her eyes. The longer she looked, the more Selena's face seemed to morph into that of someone else. For a second, Xena was sure she saw a flicker of silver move across her friend's eyes but marked it up to a trick of the light.

"Selena?"

"You are…_together_?" Selena asked.

Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other for a moment. Gabrielle smiled but Xena felt something off. She knew given her past with Selena that she would be the one who would have the most difficulty adapting to her new relationship with her bard.

Gabrielle watched the red haired woman and felt her heart constrict a little. She knew that Selena still held feelings for the warrior. It was hard to miss. She had noticed the whole time Xena had been in the town that Selena still loved Xena. It was clear in the brief glances, the twinkle in her eyes when they had talked or the softest of tones she had used. Gabrielle knew that if she had a relationship with Xena and had to leave her suddenly, her heart would continue to beat for Xena. Looking at Selena, she could tell the woman was devastated.

She thought about going over to console her. When she felt Xena gently pull her back she looked up at the warrior, a silent question in her eyes.

"Selena-," Xena started.

Selena held up her hand. "Please, there is no need to say anything. You are obviously meant for each other. I won't deny that I hurt a little, but we had our time," she said, though it sounded as though she was surprised by her new knowledge. "What kind of friend would I be if I were to deny my friend her love for another?"

"Thank you," Xena said as she reached out to hug Selena.

Gabrielle began to smile but it vanished when, with the warrior's back to her, saw Selena glaring at her over Xena's shoulder. The young woman's eyes held a fire behind them that made her stomach turn. She couldn't hold the look and glanced at her feet, guilt and anxiety flowing through her. She knew it wouldn't be easy telling Selena given her past with the warrior, but it looked as though she'd made an enemy, one scorned by unrequited love.

"C'mon," Xena said pulling away. "Let's find the murderers!"

~X~

Leandros pressed his lips into a thin line. He used his sleeve to cover his mouth in an attempt to block out the smell coming from the row of bodies. It helped a little but the stench eventually seeped through the material and assaulted his nose. The blood was overpowering. It was hard to believe that he had seen some of these men walking around the town on their patrols, or guarding the prison before he left, and now he was laying their lifeless bodies upon the ground. He had laid sheets taken from the empty houses they were hung to across their bodies to hide the ghastly attack on them.

"Here."

He turned to face the woman next to him. The youthful seer passed him a small cup. Inside sloshed a clear liquid. It looked like water at first glance but the strong aroma that emanated from it pierced the smell of death that surrounded them.

"What is it?" he inquired as he took a whiff.

"Mint water. I made it myself. It creates a taste that lasts in your mouth and blocks your nose of anything…rotten," she finished with a glance at the covered bodies.

He drank it quickly and handed the small cup back. Almost immediately he felt his mouth bursting with the taste of mint. Unlike he initially thought the taste was not vile or overpowering but rather sweet and comfortable to endure. The mint travelled up through his nostrils and blocked out the smell coming from the bodies. He looked at Juliette with wonder.

"It tastes great."

"It should do. It was intended after all," Juliette smiled back. Her smiled quickly disappeared when she looked back at the covered dead. "It is atrocious."

Leandros followed her line of sight and nodded grimly. "It would take someone with a heart as cold and hard as stone to do such a thing."

"Or one that does not possess such a thing."

They walked along the line. Leandros kneeled every now and then, pulling the corner of a sheet back up and over a man's head whenever the wind blew it off. It was strange. The weather had changed so quickly upon arriving in the town when just that morning they were sweating from the almost unbearable heat. It was as though the gods themselves were mourning the state of their earth and what had transpired since they were away. Leandros felt it was partly his responsibility for how things had turned out. He couldn't help it. If he hadn't left, he knew that the warrior and her bard wouldn't have had felt compelled to follow and they could have stayed to protect the town. However, things had taken a completely other path and now he was gently pulling down another dead body of a guard.

He was careful as he sliced away at the rope the bound the man's wrists, loosening them enough that he could tug until the last threads snapped. The man fell limply over his shoulder. Leandros felt the man's blood seep into his shirt. He didn't care. It was already bloodied from his own injuries and holding his brother during his last few moments.

Juliette watched him with pursed lips and sad eyes. Her naturally pale face seemed to whiten when the dead man's face rolled to look at her, his mouth agape and cheeks gaunt. She turned away, sniffing gently to hide her tears. Leandros grimaced; he hated seeing her like this. He had before whenever she had been sad, but the emotion seemed amplified more now that he knew she loved him as much as he loved her. Once he laid the man to rest beside the others, Leandros moved to her and gently wrapped his arms around her slight body.

Juliette buried her face into his strong shoulder. "When is it going to end? I've seen enough death to last me a life time," she muttered quietly.

He squeezed her tighter, inhaling the earthy scent of her hair. "Soon, my love. Soon."

He kissed her lips softly, his kiss a physical promise to accompany his words. At that moment a sound filled the air. He recognized the voice it belonged to and turned. He smiled at first. Selena stood at the other end of the street. Relief filled him when he realized she had managed to escape harm. He saw not one injury on her exterior. Not even her clothes seemed to be in disarray. The thought made him wonder just how much she had learned during her time with Xena in the past. Another thought filled him at the same time, though it was not as encouraging.

Her expression was deadpanned when she looked back at them. It was as though she seemed not to know that they were looking at her at all. Then, just as Leandros lifted his hand to wave her to them, her image dissolved into thin air to be replaced by the men charging around the corner, weapons in hand. Each and every one seemed violent, crazy or outlandish; from what he could see they were wearing, they were obviously prisoners. It seemed as though their time within their cells had drawn out their natural skin colour, leaving them grey, unhealthy and almost bones. They ran toward them, a small distance from where he thought he'd seen Selena's mirage.

Leandros drew his sword instantly and pulled the seer behind him. He couldn't let them kill Juliette; he wouldn't let them kill the first person he had come to love who hadn't lied to him. His newfound honour and protectiveness disallowed it as well as the overpowering love he felt for her. With his heart in his throat and his hands gripped around his sword until his knuckles turned white, he glared them down, waiting until they were close enough.

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><p><em>As usual, if you see issues with my spelling or grammar, send me them in a pm so I can fix them. I now have a Facebook page where I will be updating the status of my stories so you know what is going on. :) I will also be releasing sneak peeks of upcoming chapters or future stories before they are released so if you wish to <em>_check the page out the link is on my profile ;) Thanks for reading this chapter - more coming soon! :D_


	46. Undone

_A/N: Name "Ate" (pronounced - Ay-tee)_

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><p>Xena's ears pricked up at the sound of metal clashing with metal. A quick look at her friends confirmed that she wasn't just hearing things. Within seconds they were running out of the healer's house and toward the noise. After a few twist and turns, Xena found Leandros and Juliette, each one of them fighting for their lives against a large throng of men. From their appearance Xena guessed them to be the prisoners Selena had mentioned earlier.<p>

Each man looked as underfed and gaunt as the man before him, his clothes ragged and threadbare, just barely clinging onto his sharp and bony shoulders. They wielded weapons made of whatever they could find: splintered wood sharpened to a point, fire pokers. Some of the healthier looking prisoners brandished swords. From the blood that glazed the blades and their clothes, she guessed these stronger men were the ones responsible for killing the guards before stealing their weapons.

Leandros blocked an attack before having his feet swept out from beneath him a moment later. Juliette cried out in fear as one of the bigger men at the front of the horde lifted his sword, ready to strike as she threw herself over his vulnerable body.

"I don't think so," Xena growled under her breath.

With practiced hands, Xena whipped out her chakram and sent it flying across the street. It bounced off a couple of posts before cutting through the air and slicing the man's hands. He yelled out in pain and surprise. He held his hand as he looked around for the one responsible.

Catching the chakram, Xena wiggled her fingers. "Looking for me?" she jeered.

"Xena!" Leandros and Juliette shouted in unison. They smiled in relief as the men attacking them seemed to hesitate.

The brute's face twisted in anger. "Get her!" he screamed.

Half of the men moved, their attention now directed at her. Whilst they were charging toward her, yelling and swinging their swords, Xena glanced back at her friends. She frowned when she saw one noticeably absent.

"Where's Selena?"

Gabrielle quickly looked around her. "She was here a moment ago!" she said as she double handed her staff defensively.

Xena couldn't see her friend anywhere. She guessed seeing the escaped prisoners again must have scared her away. She couldn't blame her. When Xena had seen what they had done to the guards, she felt sick. She couldn't believe how brutal and evil they had been.

The men crashed into each other in their rush, some falling over, giving her a slight advantage before they even got to her. Once they reached her she blocked their swords and makeshift weapons with her own, brushing them away to trade a kick. She hit one of them squarely in his chest and felt his bones cave in easily under her boot. He fell to the floor with barely a scream before he died. Two more took to his space and continued their attack.

To her side Gabrielle dealt with the prisoners as they surrounded her. They stood a distance away from, prodding with their weapons. Not realizing one of them getting closer she missed seeing his sword and it sliced her arm. Like lightening Gabrielle turned and swiped him across his face, sending him to his knees. Before he had the chance to get back up, she turned and hit him with the back of her staff, knocking him out cold. As if she sensed the others closing in, Gabrielle twirled her staff and hit each of them when they reached her. Soon, every man that had surrounded the bard found themselves on their backs as she spun on the spot, throwing her staff around easily with deft hands. No man was safe from the swipes she dealt.

When they had time to look up, all of the men they fought were laid on the ground, groaning in pain or unconscious, cuts and developing bruises peppered across every inch of exposed skin. Hearing the sounds of a continuing battle, Xena and Gabrielle re-joined each other and ran toward their friends.

Leandros struck his sword hard against the other rushing toward him, blocking it from his head from his shoulders. The other man growled as he wrenched his blade back and hit again and again. Each hit sent a tremor of shock through Leandros's arm that travelled down to his legs. The man was strong. He knew how to read every move Leandros would make before he made it. Before Leandros could blink the other man knocked away his attack and dealt one of his own, sending him on his back. As he moved to attack, the man stood on Leandros's wrist, stopping him.

"No!" Juliette screamed as he lifted his sword ready to strike. She lifted one of the weapons that had dropped from the prisoners and swung it around, hoping to hit him, but in her desperation she mistook the location of his free arm and found herself lifted by her throat and held at arm's length away from him, clawing at his hand for release.

Leandros had always been told that before a person died their life flashed before their eyes. Except that wasn't his case. He saw nothing but a sword, whizzing toward him, its wielder mad and angry, his eyes crazed. Nothing but hate emanated from the man stood above him. He closed his eyes, thinking it better not to see his death. His last thought was of Juliette and the way his heart broke when he thought of the pain in her eyes. He wanted more time; to love her, to grow old with her and to make a family. The wishes he had never given a thought to in the past but only recently had become ideals that had filled his head since acknowledging his love for her.

The sound of metal on metal and a gasp sounded out above him. He hesitated, waiting a moment before opening his eyes. With his heart in his throat he squinted and looked up.

Two swords hovered inches away from his face, shaking with the effort both wielders put into overpowering the other. He looked beside him expecting to see Xena but instead saw the bloody, withered face of a man; his blood spattered armour was broken in places, the metal twisted and serrated edges red. The man seemed familiar but he couldn't remember why.

With a powerful shove the man pushed the other away, releasing Leandro's arm and Juliette. Once he was free, Leandros shuffled away. Juliette helped him back to his feet and they looked on as the man that had saved him fought his attacker.

"Captain Krateros?" Xena said as she reached her friends.

Krateros blocked the man's attacks one by one but as the fight wore on he seemed to lose his stamina. At one point he held his hand over one of the holes made in his armour; blood trickled through his fingers and stained his skin.

Xena stepped forward and fought the man with him. The longer they fought the more she realized who they were against.

"Silas? Stop, why are you doing this?"

Selena's employee looked back at her in shock at being recognized. He gritted his teeth and brought his sword down harder.

"I _knew_ he looked familiar!" Leandros said, wheezing from behind.

Silas stood a head taller than Xena, giving him a slight advantage. His height, however, made him slower. With bulky arms and an equally sized weapon, Silas swung his sword like a hammer catching Krateros across the face. The captain stumbled back and covered the new gash that ran across his face. As he swung his sword back, Xena lifted her own and blocked his attack, tugging her chakram from its place and slicing upwards. The edge cut his hand and he dropped his weapon, yelling in agony. The warrior princess jumped over him and turned swiftly. Before he had time to react she grabbed Silas from behind and put the pinch on him. He dropped to his knees immediately.

"What happened here? Why are you attacking?" she demanded.

Silas gasped, blood already trickling from his nostrils. She pressed his neck harder in hope of drawing the answers from him. His hands twitched uselessly beside him and choked sounds came from his mouth but no answers.

She pressed harder, leaning further in. "Did you release the prisoners!"

Silas slowly turned his head until he was looking at her. He glared silently until his eyes started to roll back, but not before she saw the flash of silver that crossed his dark eyes.

"Xena! The pinch!" Gabrielle warned.

Xena frowned and released it before she killed him. With a gasp of released air, Silas fell forward face first, unconscious. As she stood, the warrior continued to look at the fallen man more confused and angry than anything else. "I don't understand. This is Selena's man. Why did he attack?"

Remembering her friend's saviour, Xena ran over to the captain. He sat upon the ground, his sword by his side and his hand still clamped over his face. He didn't protest as she pulled it away. A long cut ran from above his right eyebrow, over the bridge of his nose and finished at the left side of his jaw and it bled profusely. Ripping off a piece of Silas's shirt, Xena placed the cloth over the cut and replaced his hand, pressing hard.

"Keep that there until the bleeding stops," she commanded.

He nodded. "Right."

"What happened here?"

The captain looked up at her with his uncovered eye. "Someone let the prisoners escape. They were out and roaming the streets before I realized there had been a breakout. I suspected one of the guards, but every one of my men that I have seen has been killed in the street or strung up outside their houses. The way they have been killed," he shook his head sadly, "my men couldn't have done that. This is the work of an animal!"

Xena patted his shoulder. "I know. Whoever did this, they knew what they were doing. They must have hit the town during the night."

She offered her hand and helped him to his feet. He stood as tall as he could but his wounds and loss of blood left him unsteady and weak. Krateros rocked on his feet, his hand slipping from his face.

"Gabrielle, quickly!" Xena called as he fell forward. She held him in her arms and dragged his weary body over to a pile of logs. As she sat him upon them she gestured to Gabrielle. "Sit with him. Hold this to his face and keep him awake, otherwise we might never be able to wake him," she warned quietly.

"I will," the bard promised.

Just then an ear piercing scream sliced through the quiet and rang in her ears. The sound of it sent chills down her spine. She turned quickly and found Juliette crying, staring wide eyed at Leandros. No sound came from his mouth as he looked back at her. He just remained frozen – as if something had shocked him immobile. Blood ran from the corner of his mouth as he fell to his knees. When he did, revealing his attacker, Xena felt the wind had been knocked from her. Behind him, looking down at Leandros as he slowly bled with a sword in his back was Selena. She looked eerily calm and didn't move as Juliette rushed toward him and cradled his head in her lap.

"_Nooo_!" the seer cried. Tears ran down her cheeks at seeing her vision come true. "Leandros? Leandros, don't leave me!"

Juliette went on and on, her cries growing in volume when he didn't respond, but Xena became deaf to them as the world slowed around. Shocked from her friend's actions, Xena could only stare in disbelief as Selena stepped over him and made her way over casually.

Xena lifted her sword to ward off her friend's approach.

Selena saw her move and laughed humourlessly. "You gonna use that on me, Xena?"

"Selena? Why? What…" Xena trailed off, unable to form a coherent sentence.

"Why? Because I wanted to." Selena looked at the couple and shrugged as she turned back, a cruel smile on her lips. "I never really liked them anyway."

Gabrielle frowned at Selena's complete disregard for life. She gently pressed the captain's shoulder to keep him awake and joined Xena. "Have you gone insane?"

"Insane? What a silly question to ask. Right now I'm not the one holding a weapon up at an unarmed woman."

Xena shook her head. "It was…you, wasn't it? You released the prisoners."

Selena nodded and pulled a dagger from within her dress sleeve. "It was easy. The prison wasn't as heavily guarded as I thought. All it took was to slip a little sleeping potion into their drinks. Once the guards were asleep I slit their throats," she said, making a dragging action across her own throat with her finger. "The others found out once the prisoners were free though, so they had to be dealt with."

Remembering the way the guards had been hung from their houses with the symbols carved into their chests, Xena's jaw ticked. "Why?" she yelled. "You're not yourself right now. This isn't you!"

"How would you know what I am like?" Selena's flicked to her, narrowing with anger. "I have been here over a year and all I've had since is hate, fear and loathing. I've been beaten for who I am, left to starve until I managed to scrape for food to survive on. I was the first to be suspected of anything and have been made an outcast in my own town! Every day has been a trial, a fight for mental survival as well as physical. Everyone treated me as though I was to be feared until I was left completely alone. Do you know what solitude does to a person after a long time, Xena? It eats away at you. It kills you a little at a time, leaving you with your thoughts and memories."

"You're a monster! That is no excuse for what you've done!" Gabrielle shouted angrily. She looked over at her friends. Juliette's soft, whimpering cries filled the quiet and made her heart break.

"No, it isn't," Selena agreed. She held the dagger in one hand and pressed her finger against the tip of the blade, turning it gently as she looked at Xena. "There is no excuse for needlessly hurting people. Does she know?" she asked suddenly, aiming her question at the warrior. "Does she know of the death you left behind…and me?"

Gabrielle frowned at the woman until Xena's growing silence forced her to look up, a question in her eyes. "What is she talking about?"

Selena's brows lifted in surprise. "Oh? She doesn't know? Are there some things you keep from your love? You have a talent for that, Xena," she mocked.

Xena glared at Selena until she felt her eyes lower to the bard guiltily. She fidgeted a little, unwilling to divulge. "Gabrielle, you understand how I was before I met you, don't you?"

Gabrielle nodded. "Yes?" she said, unsure of where Xena was going with this.

"I told you of mine and Selena's history and how we came to travel. Well, I wasn't completely honest with you about it. I said that ran away after saving Selena's family." Xena closed her eyes as the images came rushing back painfully. "I killed her father for thanking me and when she followed me…"

Selena glared. "Go on," she encouraged.

Xena's stomach twisted. "I _took_ her by force. I stole her away from her family and used her the way I did everyone I found weaker than myself." She shook her head, her heart heavy with remorse and shame.

"Who's the monster now, little bard?" Selena asked dryly.

Xena wondered if, when she opened her eyes, she would see hate, anger or repulsion from the bard. She wondered if she would lose Gabrielle when she had only just found her. The thought of Gabrielle leaving her now that she had finally made her feelings known for her made dread settle in her stomach like a stone. Xena couldn't bear the thought of Gabrielle leaving her after everything they had been through. The warrior held an immense amount of guilt for the way she had treated Selena in the past. She could not condone her actions, even during the time she held no conscience and all she wanted was blood and glory. The way she had used the teenage Selena made her cringe and shiver with disgust even now. She had thought coming here to help Selena would settle some sort of peace between then and she could atone. Xena had been surprised when the woman had initially shown no hatred toward her when she had met her again after their long time apart.

She should have known better.

Feeling a gentle touch upon her arm, Xena finally opened her eyes. Gabrielle looked back up at her, her eyes sad. The look made Xena want to cry. She hated putting the look there and hated herself even more for continually doing it, even after she promised herself not to do it again.

"Not so heroic now, is she, Gabrielle?" Selena asked, her voice aloft and uncaring. "She can go on about how she's changed and how she wants to do well, but in the end, she's still a murderous, two faced liar who will cut your throat in your sleep. It's a wonder how you've lasted so long."

Gabrielle looked away to stare at the red-haired woman, her anger rising. "You're wrong," she protested.

"Still defending her?" Selena took a step closer. As she did Xena noticed a flash of silver cross her the woman's eyes. The darkness she had felt when approaching the town seemed to emanate from her old friend. Old friend. She used the term loosely. There was nothing she could see in the eyes of Selena that resembled the woman she knew. She moved slowly, shifting like a cat, her smile growing as if she were a predator who had cornered her prey.

"She's changed!" Gabrielle retorted. She stood tall, facing her. "If you had been with us, if you knew, you would see that she has changed. She is nothing of the woman she used to be. Maybe she did all the things you and she says, but that isn't who she is anymore."

"Would you stake your life on it?" Selena asked contemptuously.

"Absolutely!" Gabrielle replied, her voice full of unquestionable conviction.

"Be careful, Gabrielle. Blind faith only gets you so far. How long do you think it will take before she hurts you, too?"

"She won't-,"

"She already has done though, hasn't she?" Selena interrupted.

Gabrielle wanted to say no. That Xena had never hurt her, but then she would be lying. Their past wasn't exactly smooth. Most recently they had found themselves facing their end, defending themselves against a monstrous mistake that had darkened their time together. Hope's death had been both traumatic and a relief but it affected Gabrielle more than she cared to admit to the warrior. The pain of the ordeal had left its mark on her as well as their friendship. She knew the scars wouldn't disappear, but she had secretly hoped that they would eventually heal and fade.

Gabrielle hesitated too long before speaking, giving Selena her answer. "See?" she said smugly. "I told you. It won't end just because you are together. It is the way she is. She still has darkness in her and it will always be there. It will always affect you. _I_ haven't forgotten how it affected me."

"Is that why you slaughtered innocent people? To get back at her?" Gabrielle bit back.

Selena stared at her, her eyes darkening. "Nobody is innocent, Gabrielle, and their deaths are on her hands."

"You can't get away with this, Selena," Xena muttered darkly.

The red head laughed and lifted her dagger threateningly. "We'll see. I've waited a long time to show you how much you mean to me."

The bard and warrior braced themselves as Selena rushed to them. With speed that betrayed her stature, Selena sailed over, her stride eating up the distance between them. She thrust out her arm, shoving away Gabrielle as she lifted her staff to attack. While Gabrielle landed a few feet away, Xena concentrated on her defence.

Selena managed to get in the first punch, taking Xena by surprise. The air left her lungs with an audible _whoosh_ as her old friend slammed her fist into her stomach. While she was winded, Selena thrust up her dagger in a slicing motion and cut Xena's sword arm above her elbow. Furious, Xena aimed a knee that caught Selena's middle. The woman huffed and reached out. They grappled until Selena wriggled loose and grabbed hold of Xena's sword arm, twisting until the warrior yelled out in pain and dropped her weapon.

Selena's strength surprised her. Xena couldn't remember Selena being as strong as she was now. The image of the frail and weak woman she had abandoned years ago dissolved quickly as Selena dealt more furious punches, each landing as strong and heavy as the last. They left Xena's body feeling tender and pulled more air from her lungs.

Xena knew deep down that the woman she was fighting wasn't the real Selena. At least not in spirit anyway. The body belonged to her friend but the violence, anger and hatred that poured from her belonged to somebody else. She looked up and caught Selena's eyes. Xena knew by the look in them and the powerful aura she felt exuding from the woman that this wasn't Selena. She knew enough gods to know when she was fighting with one.

With a swift kick, Selena threw the warrior onto her back. Xena struggled to her feet as Gabrielle came barrelling forward, shouting as she charged. The sound of Selena's taunting laughter made her angrier and she made mistakes. She spun her staff, aiming for the woman's head, but left her sides exposed to Selena's kick. Gabrielle winced and stumbled, falling to a knee. As she looked up, Selena grabbed the bard's hair and wrenched her head back until she was looking up at her.

"What makes you so special, huh? You think she's going to love you because she says so? You have faith in that? Just her words? Are you really that naïve?" Selena growled.

Gabrielle shook her head as best she could, her eyes filling with stinging tears. "No. I have faith in _her_ – the woman she is because I know her heart."

Selena's eyes flashed silver again as her face twisted into a savage grimace. "_Pathetic_!"

She let go and brought her knee up to Gabrielle's face. Pain erupted in the bard's face as she fell back, driven by the force of the blow. Before she could attack again, Xena came up from behind and grabbed the woman, pulling her away.

"Stop this, Selena!" she growled.

"Get off me!" Selena protested. She landed a few blows to the warrior's sides with her elbows but Xena refused to let go, even when the pain flared in her ribs.

"I'm sorry for what I did," Xena shouted through her pain. "I'm sorry, but killing innocent people won't bring back the ones I took away from you! It won't bring back the family and friends who were stolen away!. I know it hurts but all you can do is move on from it."

Selena roared and elbowed the warrior again, forcing Xena to release her. In her rage, Selena threw a punch at the warrior's face. Xena felt her nose crunch under the impact and blurred her vision, dizzying her for a moment. "How dare you! Do you think that will make it okay? I know apologizing won't bring them back, but maybe forcing you to meet them will begin to heal my wounds!"

Seeing Selena reach for her dagger again, Xena rolled away and grabbed her sword. Her heart twisted at the sight of the broken visage of the woman that used to be her friend. She wasn't prepared for it or the way it tugged at her guilt the way it did, but she knew there was only one way to stop it all. She lifted her sword defensively, knocking away Selena's angry swing and thrust her arm forward in a powerful motion, yelling sadly as she did.

Immediately all other sounds dimmed to nothing, blocking out everything but the gasp of shock that came from the mouth of the woman in front of her. As she stared into Selena's eyes, she watched the silver in them quickly fade until they returned to their normal purplish hue. When they cleared, they looked back at her and spoke quietly of shock, betrayal, and confusion. Out of her peripheral, Xena barely noticed the smoke creeping away from Selena. All she wanted to do was hold her friend. When realization struck Selena that the woman she was gazing at was Xena, they filled with love and the look broke Xena as she looked into them.

Suddenly, Xena no longer found herself in Dreyas but far away, staring into the eyes of her friend one afternoon as she did now.

_Both women had been travelling for a long time. They found a little glade to relax in after a long trek from the previous village. They hadn't been together long but Xena had felt the change in herself as much as she didn't want to admit. She felt somewhat lighter, happier, almost at the woman who had come to be a constant presence at her side for the past few months. Xena hadn't wanted to know Selena, but it was as though the woman refused to be put off whenever Xena tried to scare her away with tales of her past exploits. Though it annoyed her she was grateful that she wasn't alone._

_She glanced over at the woman beside her, overlooking the stream as they sat on the lip of a small, rocky overhang. Selena looked so at peace that Xena found herself growing increasingly jealous and frustrated. _

"_What's wrong, Xena? You seem a little annoyed," Selena noted, swinging her feet lazily off the edge. _

_Xena huffed and looked away. "You're too happy all the time."_

_Selena laughed. "Of course I'm happy."_

"_Why?"_

"_I'm with you."_

"_That's a bad excuse. There's nothing good about that."_

_Selena pulled a face. "Only you seem to think that. You don't see what I see, Xena."_

"_And what is that?" Xena retorted defensively. _

_Selena reached out and turned the warrior's face toward her. As Xena glared at the other woman, Selena continued to smile gently until Xena's own eyes softened under the kind look. "The potential for friendship, good…love."_

_Xena scoffed and pulled her face away. "Love? You must be mad!"_

_Selena shook her head. "You are the mad one for not seeing what is inside. You are blind to your capabilities."_

"_Believe me, after everything I've done, I know my capabilities."_

_Selena sighed and shook her head, smiling again as she looked out at the glistening stream. "One day, Xena, you will fall in love and I will be there to say I told you so."_

"_You think you're going to be my friend long enough to see that happen?"_

"_I will. I'll always be your friend, Xena. Don't doubt that."_

_Xena turned again to look at Selena and found herself captivated in the confident look in her eyes, the colour of them glowing with the woman's love. _

A tearful sniff broke Xena from her reverie. She shook her head and looked into the eyes of her friend, stood with her sword skewering her. With tender care Xena pulled the sword from the woman's body and caught her as she sagged to her knees. Selena gripped Xena's forearm with as much strength as she could muster, and when she spoke her words were thick and garbled from the blood collecting in her mouth.

"Xena?" she breathed.

"Ah, such a shame…" a voice said in the quiet.

The sound of it was unfamiliar and sent a cold shiver that ran throughout Xena's entire body. The hairs on her arms stood up at the sound of it. The woman in her arms seemed to hear it to. Selena froze in her hold and whimpered like a child afraid of a monster in the dark. When she looked up, feeling a presence nearby, Xena felt her blood turn cold.

A long smoky shadow lingered near the edge of a house, watching them all. The eyes that observed them roamed over each of them until they focused on Selena. As it started to move closer, Selena gargled in fear and clutched at Xena desperately.

"Who are you?" Xena demanded. She felt the power coming from the figure and knew it was a god. She could feel it, but there was something strange about this one. Its presence affected her thinking, making her anger rise and scrambled her thoughts.

The figure laughed and the sound was smooth and frightening at the same time. Instead of answering her, the figure glided across the ground until it stood before them, looking down at them with its powerful stare. Selena sank deeper into Xena, muttering incoherently.

"Leave me…be," she begged the figure breathlessly.

"You haven't forgotten our deal have you? You failed," the figure replied coolly. It began to reach out with a clawed hand. "Your soul is mine."

It continued to reach, even as the red haired woman screamed as loudly as she could, trying desperately to escape the dark clutches. Xena helped as much as she could, pulling her away, but she winced in pain from the barrage of hits she had taken. Then suddenly, the figure stopped and frowned as Gabrielle's staff fell through its ghastly form. The bard paused, shocked that her attack didn't land and stared up at the dark figure with wide, terrified eyes as it rose to its full height. The monster loomed over her, its eyes piercing and angry.

Xena pulled free her chakram, ready to throw it when she felt a rush of energy. There was a flash of golden sparks, pink hearts and orange streaks as the gods walked into the area and looked around.

Aphrodite was the first to speak. "Jeez, it's so cold and dark around here!" she said rubbing her arms.

Cupid stared around and raised an eyebrow. "No kidding." He looked at Hephaestus and saw him nod in agreement.

"Aphrodite!" Gabrielle called in surprise and relief.

The love goddess looked over at her and smiled. "Hey, Sweet Pea!" Her smile turned into a grimace when she properly took in the scene around them. "What's happened here? Don't tell me you've all started fighting and killing over each other?"

Xena saw the dark figure starting to slink off and threw her chakram. "_Wait_!" It went straight through the god and slammed into a tree.

Fearing the figure would disappear before revealing who it was, Xena started to move until there was a flash and another god joined that of those already present.

"Oh no you don't!" Zeus growled angrily. He reached out and broke through the smoky form of the god, pulling on its shoulder until he had his hands clamped around it. "I've had quite enough of your meddling, Ate!"

The king of the gods stood tall, his long red robe almost touching the ground. His silvery-grey bear was cut short but his hair fell in loose curls down his back. Gabrielle had never seen Zeus before; his presence demanded discipline, command and power. Looking at him anyone would have thought his a frail old man, but up close, the bard couldn't mistake this man as a mortal. He held a bolt of lightning threateningly as he held the dark figure. When she relaxed enough to realize he'd named it her eyes widened.

"Ate?" she asked.

All at once the smoke cloak that sheathed the goddess melted away, revealing her feminine frame. The goddess turned and looked over her shoulder; her grin stretched across her face, the cruelty sparkling in her eyes from behind her long black hair. "You know of me, child?"

Gabrielle glanced over at Xena and saw her watching her expectantly. "Ate is the goddess of evil and misfortune and daughter of Eris and Zeus." She explained. "She leads men to suffering, strong and irrational impulses, as well as making them commit evil acts. She could be the reason why everyone in town seemed…_strange_? Maybe she caused it?"

"She's caused a lot more than that in her time, mortal," Zeus frowned at the goddess.

Aphrodite, Cupid and Hephaestus walked to Xena and Gabrielle. Cupid lifted his bow to show it to Xena.

"Your bow is fixed," she noticed, looking it over.

"No thanks to her," Cupid gestured at Ate.

The evil goddess smiled at them all. She wasn't ugly, but her face was one of terrible beauty. It hurt to look upon her. She had the face of a pure and angelic being, but her eyes glowed red and her smile made Xena's stomach turn at the sight of the sharp edges of her teeth. Ate stood the same height as the rest of them but her skin tone looked odd next to the others, making her paler than them. She barely resembled her father, making her wonder just what her mother, Eris, looked like.

"She is the reason my bow was broken, except she didn't do it."

Xena frowned. "Then who?"

Hephaestus stepped forward, the crease between his brows deepening as he glared at Ate. "I did it, but it wasn't my fault. I was tricked. I don't remember doing it but it was me. It had to be. No other can twist and bend godly weapons. It is my responsibility. She tricked me into sabotaging the bow and because of that, the world went to sh-,"

"I think she understands," Aphrodite interrupted. She shook her head. "When the bow broke, Cupid couldn't do his job and neither could I. We need love and the mortals' prayers to do our job. Because they were too busy either trying to rip each other's clothes off or rip each other apart, we were getting nothing. In the end, nearly all of Greece started turning into these weird…freakishly kinky people with a death wish," she said attempting to use her hands to explain. "It wasn't until Heph realized that he was the only one capable of breaking the weapon that we went to daddy."

"I knew that I wouldn't have done it on purpose, so when I explained it to Zeus and what effect it was having on the world, he put it together," Hephaestus said.

Xena looked to each god until her eyes rested on Zeus. "But…how did you figure it out? How did you know it was her?"

Zeus's face almost turned purple with anger. "She has used her influence to trick gods before." He glanced at the evil goddess. "I thought throwing you from Olympus would have taught you a lesson, but it's clear that I was wrong."

Ate scoffed at him like a rebellious teenager. "You'll always be weak, old man," she taunted in her sickly sweet voice. "My mother will hear of this!"

The other god's held their collective breaths while they waited for his reaction to her insolence. The thunder god tightened his hold on her and glared balefully until she wilted under his powerful gaze.

"Let's see how confident you are when I start searing off your limbs with my bolts, shall we?" he threatened, disappearing in a crackling flash with the goddess. The sound of Ate's scream remained even after she was gone.

All were silent for a while until bloody coughing brought Xena's attention back to her wounded friends. With Selena still bleeding away in her arms, Xena looked to the gods imploringly. "Please, help us."

* * *

><p><em>Thanks for reading this chapter. Sorry it was so long but not long to go before For Love's Sake is finished. I can't believe it! :O If there are any mistakes I might have missed, please don't hesitate to tell me so in a PM so I can fix it. Stay tuned for the next bit. (Don't forget to check my Facebook page and like if you want to keep up with what updates and other projects I have coming up as I'll be updating that more often. I might also take on requests for one-shots ;D)<em>


	47. Letting Go

Gabrielle paced the floor, worrying her lip. The rhythmic sound of her footsteps against the floorboards was the only sound next to the roar of the fire. The flames burned brightly in the hearth, licking at the logs she had thrown onto the fire a half a candlemark before. Apart from the sounds she made, it was quiet in the healer's house. Dantorix snored quietly nearby. His feet sat upon the edge of his table while he lounged back in his chair, his fingers linked lazily over his stomach. He still wore his healer's robe, despite the fact it was spattered in blood and smelled of it too. She had waited for him to remove it but after operating on his patients, Dantorix had shuffled over to his chair, fallen into it and closed his eyes. He hadn't woken since.

Gabrielle couldn't blame him for passing out. After finding they had found him, he had worked tirelessly from the moment Xena, Gabrielle and the gods had dragged their friends into the house. While he had started work on removing the blade from Leandros's back, he soon found his house almost fit to burst with the amount of people they brought. The townsfolk Xena had believed to be lost or taken as hostages were found hustled away in the Temple of Aletheia, Dantorix amongst them. Most were unhurt but those that had resisted had acquired cuts and bruises for their trouble. Some had been sent back to their homes, while a handful with more serious injuries stayed in Dantorix's house.

Hearing a sound nearby that caught Gabrielle's attention, the bard glanced up. Although the crease between her brows was already deep with concern, it deepened upon seeing the warrior. Xena's face was cold and passive, her eyes staring but unseeing as she gazed off at the other end of the room. The bard's heart hurt at the sight. She didn't know whether going over to Xena would help or provoke her, but when she was sure she saw tears forming in Xena's eyes she ignored the latter. She was her best friend, after all.

"Hey," she muttered softly.

Xena harshly wiped away her tears. "Hi,"

Gabrielle pursed her lips. "You okay?"

"I'll be fine."

"I know you're blaming yourself. I can see it." Gabrielle edged up to her and rested her hand gently on the warrior's shoulder. "Y'know, it isn't your fault, Xena," she said softly.

"No, it is. Selena would never have turned out the way she did if it wasn't for me." Xena looked at her hand and curled it into a fist, her nails cutting into her palm. Faces flashed before her eyes and she squeezed tighter. "Those people are dead because of me."

"Selena killed them-,"

"To get back at me," Xena interrupted. "If I hadn't treated her the way I did in the past, things could have been different. None of this would have happened."

"She was being controlled by Ate!"

"Ate only used the parts of Selena that were already there."

Gabrielle looked away at the guarded form of the sleeping inn keeper. Selena had been laid at the other end of the room, away from the other patients so they could recover in peace. The woman's eyelids twitched as she slept, the blanket gently rising and falling as she wheezed in and out. Gabrielle knew the sound pulled at Xena. She could see it in her haunted eyes as she listened.

"We can't truly know what might have been and you shouldn't blame yourself, Xena. It doesn't help anyone."

"Maybe," The warrior shook her head. "It just doesn't make sense. I can tell when someone is lying, but with Selena? I didn't know; I couldn't tell at all."

"Some people are just better at lying than others, and some lie so convincingly that they start to believe it for the truth." Gabrielle's voice dropped slightly as she sat closer. "Some people also refuse to see the truth, believing more in the lie because they are afraid of what they might find."

Realizing what the bard was saying, Xena glanced up. She frowned. "What are you trying to say? That I was lying to myself?"

Gabrielle stroked her cheek. "Don't take it the wrong way. I just meant that Selena was very important to you. Maybe you were blind to what she was doing because you didn't want to believe it?"

Xena stared at the floor. It made sense. At one point in their past, Xena had secretly thought Selena to be her saviour, the one to break her free of the vicious cycle of blood and hatred that had become a normal part of her life. Unwilling and unable, Xena had run away and abandoned the woman because of the love she had offered. Could it have been that, during her time alone and her struggle to find a normal life, Xena had left Selena stewing in the hate and blame she had left her with? Another life ruined Xena thought bitterly. Maybe she had blocked it all out, refusing to see, because of the path she attempted to follow now? Had her new mission to atone for her past misdeeds blinded her to one important one she felt willing to forget?

She needed to talk to Selena; to straighten it out and get down to the bottom of it. There was still bad blood between them and she wanted to sort it out, doing whatever she could for her old friend. She couldn't bring back Selena's family, but maybe she could offer what she could so they both might find some sense of peace and move on?

Xena stood abruptly and Gabrielle followed suit. "No, stay here. Please?" she added, softening her words to make it sound less of a command.

Xena could tell the bard fought with her decision of whether to stay or not. She could see it in her eyes. Gabrielle nodded but didn't move. Instead, the bard grabbed hold of one of Xena's hands and pressed the palm against her cheek, smiling reassuringly. It was a small gesture, but the love and friendship Xena saw in the green eyes looking back at her offered nothing but unwavering support and filled her with the strength she needed to face her task.

"I'll be right here," Gabrielle promised.

Xena smiled. Turning until she was fully facing Gabrielle, she reached out and pressed a kiss against the bard's forehead, resting her chin atop her head. She closed her eyes as she felt the woman's her arms wrap lovingly around her in response. "I love you, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle closed her eyes and held tighter; loving the feel of the woman in her arms and the warm feeling that blossomed within her hearing the words she had longed to hear for a long time. "I love you, too."

~X~

Once Gabrielle was outside she felt the tears begin to sting her eyes. The haunted and pained look in Xena's eyes broke her heart. She knew of Xena's past – of the dark things she had done and the evil she had been – but the woman she travelled with, the one she had the privilege to call her best friend and had fallen in love with was different to her. Xena was good, compassionate, focused and strived to help others in the name of greater good. Seeing Xena look broken because her demons had once again followed her into her present made Gabrielle feel useless.

She sat heavily on a bench nearby and hid her face in her arms.

"Aw, sweetie, don't cry," a voice said softly.

Gabrielle didn't need to look up to know who it was. "Sorry, I can't help it, Aphrodite. Everything has just gone to Tartarus and I don't know what to do," came Gabrielle's muffled reply.

Aphrodite cupped the bard's cheek and lifted her face. With a smile the love goddess wiped away an errant tear and kissed the tip of her nose. "Be there for her. She will need you."

"What can I do? I've already told her what I think, but you know Xena. She needs time alone to think before she'll confront Selena and when she does, I just know it will hurt her." Gabrielle looked at her feet and twiddled her thumbs. "They have so much history."

Aphrodite smiled with understanding. Gabrielle was still jealous, and from her inexperience and bad luck with romance overall, Aphrodite could sense she was having doubts about being with Xena. She looped an arm around the young woman and pulled her to her. "And you don't think you can compete with that? Is that the problem?"

Gabrielle looked surprised but she knew she shouldn't have been. Aphrodite was smart and could see into the hearts of others if she truly needed to. "How could I?"

"Xena loves you. _You_, Gabrielle. Not Selena. What they had is not what you two have. You and Xena are soul mates, and it's about time you acknowledge that fully for all that it is. Selena has a place in the warrior babe's heart, but can you blame her?"

Gabrielle frowned. "What do you mean?"

Aphrodite's smile turned sad. "She's an older and earlier version of you, or at least some parts are. She tried to help Xena off her war path just like you are doing now, but with one big exception."

"And what's that?"

"Selena never had Xena's heart. Xena couldn't care for others because she never cared for herself. Hercules showed her how to open her heart to others and you filled it. Poor Selena never stood a chance."

The comment made Gabrielle both happy and sad. She had heard from the demi-god how Xena had been when he had first met her. Hercules had told her about how lost Xena had looked to him, fighting and violence the only things she knew, but the potential for good hiding within her. Gabrielle had not heard of Xena beforehand so when she had met her, all Gabrielle had seen was the good she did for her and her people. It was easy to fall in love with the woman. However, it was only over time and coming face to face with her past that Gabrielle had come to love the warrior too, despite the darkness that still remained.

Knowing that Selena was fighting for her life because of what Xena did made Gabrielle feel guilty. After hearing Selena's story, it was hard not to care for the woman and sympathize with her knowing that the darkness inside her had been a result of countless dark influences – the most prominent one being the woman Gabrielle loved the most.

"Hey, don't feel guilty, Sweetie. Love is love. You don't choose it, it chooses you and when it does, you are powerless to resist. Trust me, I know. When you've been in the business as long as I have you pick up these things along the way," Aphrodite said, casually looking at her nails.

Gabrielle leaned against the goddess. "Thank you."

"What for?"

"For being there; for helping me and Xena," Gabrielle replied.

"Oh, Gabrielle. You don't have to say thank you. It's great having mortal friends. I didn't think I'd like it but…you guys make it easy," the goddess winked.

Gabrielle grinned but it soon faded when she remembered something. "What's going to happen to Ate?" She felt the goddess stiffen.

"Hmm, well, Zeus is going to punish her for what she's done to us. This has affected us all, even the king of the gods. He wasn't happy when he found out and neither was I. When I found out that the reason love was turning to hate and my hair was going floppy was because of Ate, I wanted to rumble with her myself." Aphrodite sighed and rolled her eyes at the bard. "It's a shame you can't choose your family."

"We thought there was something going on."

"Ate either possessed or tricked Heph into sabotaging the bow. He's the only one that could do it. Even Zeus, as powerful as he is couldn't do it. Once Cupid's bow broke love started to disappear and mortals stopped worshipping. Without love in the world it was easier for Ate to influence the mortals and make them do her bidding." Aphrodite looked out at the mostly empty town and sighed. "I don't know what she wanted with it if you ask me. Looks like a dreadful place to hang around, especially for a goddess."

"There's a big temple dedicated to Aletheia over on the other side." Gabrielle bit her lip as she thought. "Y'know, I haven't seen this goddess of truth since I've been here. I'm not even sure if Aletheia is present. If she was then she could help?"

Aphrodite shook her head. "Sorry to burst your bubble, babe, but there wasn't any godly presence in the temple when we arrived. It felt empty. Most likely only used by the mortals."

"Eccentric zealots," Gabrielle corrected with earnest. She stood up and paced as she thought. "Is it possible that Ate used the zealots to break the people and then turn their suspicions toward Selena? Maybe that was what tipped her over the edge? I know I'd lash out if everyone I lived with was against me all the time."

"Could be," the goddess shrugged.

"Yes, Xena said that Selena seemed not herself. There were a few others that acted out of their usual character. They were possessed too, weren't they? They were being used."

"Ate uses a mortal's guilt against them. What would Selena have felt guilty about before?"

"Losing her friends? Selena told us the story about how Xena saved her and her family but most of her friends and other villagers had been murdered. Ate must have sensed the guilt Selena felt for being unable to save them and used that against her initially. I just don't understand what kept her under control-,"

Aphrodite sat up when the bard broke off abruptly. "What?"

Gabrielle shook her head. She didn't want it to be true, but what if it was? It would explain what had occurred during her time in Dreyas and would account for most of the lives taken and why Ate continued to be able to have so much control over Selena.

~X~

Xena carefully dragged a chair over to Selena's bedside. Resting her elbows on her knees, she dragged her hands down her face and sighed heavily. How had it come to this? When was she going to stop hurting the ones who cared for her; the ones who had potential for good? It seemed that all she did was hurt more than help.

Gabrielle's face flashed before her eyes and she felt a twinge of guilt in her heart. Selena was right about her. Since letting Gabrielle follow along with her, all Xena had done was hurt her; she had taken her away from her family, her friends, and the possibility of leading a safe, normal life. Gabrielle could have had all that. Instead, Xena had lied to the bard, forced her to see and do things she would not have done otherwise. Their children had died as a result of their lies and bad decisions and they were forced to live with the repercussions.

Xena dropped her hands and looked at Selena sadly. Was this what would become of Gabrielle if she allowed her to continue following her? Would she end up hurting her further or risk destroying what good was in her? The thought made Xena's heart twist. She couldn't bear it if it happened. Gabrielle was her light, her hand leading her out of the darkness and the one that possessed her heart, but could Gabrielle handle the responsibility and all that came with taking it?

"You have that self-torturing look in your eyes again, Xena,"

Xena's eyes widened. Selena was looking at her, her eyes half open and a weary smile curving her lips. "Selena-,"

"No, don't...don't say anything. This isn't your fault."

Xena looked at the bloodied bandage wrapped securely around Selena's middle and threw her a sardonic smile. "I find that hard to believe. You weren't the one that did this."

"You did what you had to," Selena said tiredly.

Both women were silent for a while until Xena looked up at the two men guarding Selena. She got their attention, waving one over. "Could you give us some privacy?" The guards looked at each other, unsure. "Don't worry; I'm very capable of looking after myself," Xena added, curling her hand around her sword when they showed no sign of leaving.

After a few indecisive moments, both men nodded. "We'll be right outside if you need us," the taller one said. With one last look at Selena the guards turned and walked out of the house.

"They're good men," Selena sighed. "I'm glad I didn't kill them."

Xena frowned, turning back to her. "How can you say that so casually? You've killed, Selena."

"I know." Selena lowered her eyes in shame under Xena's reproachful look. "I'm not going to lie and tell you that I didn't know what I was doing. I did. I saw what was happening and although I tried to stop it, I gave up and let it happen."

"How many others were there?"

"I don't know. After a while I lost count."

Xena looked away, disgusted. Hearing her old friend speak of murdering so easily - as if the concept tired her felt so foreign and sickening. "How long did you know of the goddess controlling you?"

Selena shuddered visibly at the mention of the goddess, her eyes taking on a troubled look. "Only a few days," she answered truthfully. "I remember her appearing a few days ago while you were here. I didn't know what it was at first, but before, there was always a voice in the back of my mind. Something always there, jeering and taunting, telling me to do things I never would have dreamed of. Then, after I stopped being afraid…the promises that she whispered in my ear." Selena closed her eyes in remembrance. "They were so intoxicating that I had no choice but to listen and when I did, I was trapped."

Xena watched the woman's face drop, the colour fading from her already paled face. "She told me things, showed me everything I'd done and the ones that had died because of me. When she promised to make me forget everything I lost myself to the promise."

Knowing how much guilt could eat away at a person over time regarding their past crimes, Xena empathized. The nights she had spent awake seeing the numerous, nameless faces of her victims were too many for her to count. "Ignorance is bliss."

"But not realistic," Selena said sadly.

Selena turned her head until she looked out of the window. The sun had long since hidden behind the hills to let the moon take its place. The silver light filtered in through the gap in the curtains, spilling across the woman's face and pillow. For a second Xena was reminded of the younger Selena, the person she had been before Xena and her influence had corrupted her.

"Selena, you can't take full blame for this. In some ways you're innocent; a pawn used for the entertainment of a bored and cruel goddess."

"Innocent?" Selena glared at her. "I don't think so. You saw what I did to the soldiers. I did that. I killed them."

"Not to the extent that they died!" Xena retorted. She looked around the room, grasping at ideas. "It was Ate. She pushed you to it."

"Maybe," Selena agreed. "But the way they died? I chose that. I massacred them because of what they did to me and what they said or made me feel. You can't tell me now that I'm just innocent now? Innocence?" She scoffed at the word and shook her head. "Innocence is just a ruse, a concept that describes someone who has the potential to do something but hasn't yet. We all have the potential to kill. When did Gabrielle kill her first?"

Xena pursed her lips.

"C'mon, Xena. You can't tell me that after being with you for so long Gabrielle still hasn't killed anyone."

"Last year," Xena answered stiffly.

Selena nodded. "See? As sweet and well-intentioned as she is, Gabrielle has also killed."

"It was an accident!"

"It doesn't matter because for whatever reason, Gabrielle has taken a life. The potential was there. None of us are innocent."

"You've gotten cynical in your years," Xena observed.

"It happens to the best of us." Selena shrugged but the sudden movement hurt her. She winced as she repositioned herself on the bed. Suddenly, Selena's eyes filled with tears and she looked at her hands. "Xena?"

"What is it?"

"Theodorus and the priest. I murdered them too."

Xena sat up straighter. "What?"

Selena shook her head and closed her eyes as if she could block out the images. "I saw it happen. The goddess knew I hated them both to some degree. She had already promised to taken away my guilt and memories of those I let down and used it against me. When they noticed that I started acting strangely they started following me around. Theodorus almost discovered the goddess's presence and feared her discovery. She convinced me that it was in our best interest to get rid of him. Because of our history, I couldn't bring myself to do it and refused. The next day I blacked out and they both disappeared."

Selena reopened her eyes. "I thought I'd won and that she'd left me, but the townsfolk continued to taunt and treat me as an outcast. After noticing someone following me again, I sent for you. By the time you got here I had forgotten about the goddess's influence – like it had never happened or I'd imagined it. It was like something had reached into my mind and scrambled my thoughts, making me forget."

Xena nodded slightly, realizing she had felt the same thing when she had entered the town. She had never felt so confused and useless during her time in Dreyas. Finding out that it had been a goddess only made her angrier about the whole situation. Xena didn't like to feel fooled.

"It was fine for a while. Your presence kept her at bay. You scared her," Selena attempted a smile but then her face darkened. "But then you found Theodorus's body. After that I tried to think, to remember as much as I could to help you, but when I did she started coming back. I lost myself again and when Moris started investigating himself, she started haunting me again."

"Abantes?" Xena said, remembering the priest's understudy blamed for his murder.

"She made him do it because I refused to do her bidding. I made her angry and she forced me to make him do it. She possessed him through me. I might as well as driven in the knife myself."

Xena stood and ran her fingers through her hair. "I can't believe it."

"When you left," she continued, "she used the opportunity to make use of her influence fully. She wanted to make Dreyas her own. To do that she had to turn away the most strong willed of us and take over those who were weaker. She used me to make that happen and I let her to gain back power over my own mind. I've destroyed everything; families, my friends…I've lied to you and tried to kill you." Selena started crying again.

"It's over now," Xena reassured her.

"No, it isn't. How many people have I murdered for the sake of control? I can't do this."

"What do you mean?"

"Xena, you can't honestly expect me to live after everything that's happened? They'll want my blood; they'll be demanding it and I don't blame them."

"They won't kill you."

"I'm half dead already. Might as well let them finish the job."

Xena stormed back over to Selena's bedside. "They. Won't. Kill. You. Selena, there is so much evil that I have done in my past. I can never change what I have done but I have the strength to try and atone."

"You have Gabrielle."

"Yes," Xena smiled fondly. "I do. You can find someone too. Use the strength in yourself to-,"

She broke off as Selena began shaking her head. "Xena," Selena breathed wearily. "I don't have the energy, strength or the will, and who will want me when they know what I've done?"

"So you're not even going to try?"

Selena reached up and cupped Xena's cheek, brushing the soft skin with her thumb. The corner of her mouth twitched into a half smile as she drank in Xena's features as if it was the last time she would ever look upon the warrior's face. The look made Xena feel anxious.

"I stopped trying when I watched you ride away the last time. There is no one else and there won't be." Lowering her hand to Xena's, Selena pulled the hand toward her and pressed her lips softly against it. "I love you, Xena, but you'll never be mine. I can accept that. You two are meant for each other. Now," she said, removing her hand to place it on her stomach again. "Let me go."

"Selena-,"

"Make this easy for me. Go."

Clenching her jaw, Xena stood again and stepped back. She silently watched Selena close her eyes and for the first time in a long time she saw a smile grace her lips. "I'm sorry,"

Selena's smile widened. "Don't be. I found peace again. You've saved me, just like you promised you would."

"I'll check on you later to see how you are," Xena said as she walked to the door.

The warrior didn't hear Selena as she left and the guards resumed their post near her bed again. The woman sat up as best she could and watched the woman she loved return to the bard's approaching form. She smiled as they embraced in the darkness and lay back down, taking comfort in knowing her old friend had found her peace in love.

"Goodbye, Xena," Selena whispered and closed her eyes for a final time.


	48. The Gentle Warrior

_A/N: This chapter includes sex between a man and woman and written as tastefully as possible. Proceed at your own discretion. _

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><p>Xena looked on as the fire grew higher. The wood burned away, enveloping the body atop the small pyre in flames. Light threw dancing shadows across her friends as they watched nearby, hidden within the spaces between the trees. The only sounds came from the crackling of the fire and the gentle rustle of the leaves as the wind blew through the treetops, but inside Xena's mind it felt as though thousands or voices were speaking at once, fighting for dominance as she watched the dead body of her friend burn.<p>

_You did this….the countless dead….she would still be alive if…._they all accused, making the guilt she already felt sink deeper.

When she had gone back to visit Selena she had been surprised to find the bed empty and the house absent of guards. Along with Gabrielle, Xena had gone in search for the woman and instead found the captain of the guard waiting for her at the prison. She thought he had taken Selena to put her through a trial. However, when Krateros saw her he had gestured for her to approach him and she had found out that Selena had passed away during the night. The realization had shocked her but not as much as she thought it would.

The injuries Selena had sustained during the fight and her fragile state of mind from Ate's possession had exhausted Selena of all energy. It had only been a matter of time. It seemed to Xena that what she had thought had been a simple request to let Selena go and to move on with another was in fact a request to let her die. Fearing the start of a mob, the captain had taken possession of her body to keep it safe from the families of those Selena and Ate had killed as a precautionary measure. Because Selena had no next of kin, Krateros allowed Xena to take the body out of the immediate proximity of the town and burn it in peace.

One last single act of kindness and mercy.

Xena had barely spoken a word to any of her friends since she had taken the body. Even now, after Selena's body had been committed to the flames, Xena still couldn't bring herself to look away from the fire knowing that she was responsible for the outcome. She felt crushed under the guilt her heart bore but refused to look away because she knew she deserved it.

"She looks so…sad," Juliette said softly.

Gabrielle watched Xena where she stood; the orange glow of the fire wavered over the strong image of the warrior, almost making it look as though the flames washed over her like waves.

"She feels guilty," Gabrielle said.

"Why? This is not her fault. She didn't kill those people."

"Yes, but she feels it is. Xena treated Selena badly when they were together years ago. When Xena left, Selena became resentful. Somewhere along the lines Ate must have taken control of her, using her hate as a weapon and her guilt to keep the control of Selena hers. Even though Xena isn't directly involved or guilty, she feels the way she treated Xena is the reason Selena did what she did."

"And that's why she has closed herself off to her friends?" Juliette frowned. "Gabrielle, I do not like the way Xena looks. Her eyes are dead, her soul wounded and her heart aching."

"I wish there was something I could do but I don't know what," Gabrielle replied sadly.

Juliette rested her hand on the bard's shoulder, smiling gently she looked over at Xena. "She needs you, Gabrielle. She will not speak to the rest of us but I believe your words and your love will get through to her. Break her heart out of the ice that has encased it. Remind her of what she still has."

With that Juliette turned, hiding her arms within the sleeves of her dress. She moved gracefully, leaving Gabrielle's mind whirring with the seer's meaning. Before she disappeared Gabrielle lifted her hand. "Wait. Where are you going?"

Juliette stopped and smiled over her shoulder, a certain twinkle in her brown eyes. "There is one wounded soul that I must visit."

Gabrielle and Xena had been pleasantly surprised to find that Leandros had survived the sword to his back. Dantorix had managed to dislodge it and reported that the blade had slipped through Leandros's body cleanly, missing all major organs. He had gotten lucky and he knew it. Everyone who had spoken with him had suggested that he stay in bed, much to his dismay.

The bard watched as Juliette's figure disappeared within the trees, the darkness swallowing her whole. As she turned again, Gabrielle felt her heart jump into her throat when she noticed Xena fall to her knees near the fire.

"Xena!" she panicked.

Her arms went around the warrior quickly, holding her as she sobbed quietly into her arms. "Gabrielle? I killed her."

Gabrielle frowned and pulled her closer, tighter. "No, no," she disagreed. "Ate killed her."

Xena shook her head. "She was dead the day I met her."

"Selena knew the consequences of her actions. She knew what she was getting herself into the moment she decided to follow you, Xena."

"You should leave me, Gabrielle. I'll only end up killing you, too," Xena muttered her voice devoid of emotion as she stared up at the pyre.

Selena's body had been completely engulfed. Nothing remained of her that was visible; her clothes and body were stolen away by the orange flames. Gabrielle looked too and found her lip tremble. Selena had been stupid, weak in her opinion and a puppy completely lost in love. The similarities between her and Selena scared her. They made her heart skip in fear when she thought of how it could be if she followed the same path, but Gabrielle felt her heart stop completely when Xena suggested she should leave.

"Don't you dare say that to me, Xena. How _can_ I leave? If I left my heart would still remain here with you," she said softly, holding either side of Xena's face. The way the warrior's blue eyes looked back at her through her sadness tugged at her heart. "I can't go on without you by my side. There _is_ no going on; don't you understand that by now? My soul belongs with yours and nothing in this life or the next is going to take you away from me!"

Xena looked up at the bard and saw her determined green eyes swimming with unshed tears. "But you would be safer,"

"Who can promise me that? You? Xena, you don't know what the future holds, so you can't promise me that I will be safer away from you. We've been through so much. I'm not going to leave you now because you feel guilty. I am not Selena, okay? Besides, I can't think of a better place than with you."

Xena's heart swelled upon hearing the bard's uplifting words. She couldn't deny the way her heart raced and her blood boiled under Gabrielle's innocent touch, but her sadness reminded her of how important Gabrielle was to her. She couldn't risk losing her. Not for anything in the world. Perhaps if she reasoned with her and took her back to Potidaea?

"Don't even think about it, Xena. I know what you're thinking." Gabrielle brought her face closer.

Xena closed her eyes, feeling the bard's hot, sweet breath blow across her face. Her soft fingers brushed carefully over her cheeks, wiping away her tears as if Xena was as delicate as a bubble in her hands. The warrior felt the love through Gabrielle's touch and when she opened her eyes, she saw it in her eyes.

"You're not losing me," she whispered and closed the distance between them.

The bard's lips felt soft and smooth, her breath sweet and her body inviting. Xena wanted to fight and ensure Gabrielle that the best thing for her would be to ride away as quick as she could, but as the kiss deepened, all thoughts of that washed away. As Gabrielle moved her hands over Xena's face and down her neck, softly caressing her skin, Xena felt herself losing more and more of the self-control she normally possessed.

Gabrielle pushed closer, her kiss growing with intensity as she deepened it. She wanted to show the warrior how much she meant to her. She wanted to show her how much she loved and cared for her and that leaving was a ridiculous suggestion. Her kiss grew in with passion as Gabrielle slid her tongue over Xena's lips, demanding entry to her mouth that Xena was more than willing to allow. She felt Xena begin to melt under her and the determination she felt in her own soul was reflected back at her as the warrior mirrored her actions, pulling her closer as though she was suddenly scared of Gabrielle leaving.

Gabrielle squeezed her eyes tight, the sting in her eyes warning of impending tears.

How could she leave? She couldn't imagine going anywhere that wasn't with Xena. She had come to care too much for the woman. She had become her best friend and fallen in love with her. The very idea of leaving Xena now after everything they had been through was not an option. She couldn't bring Selena back, but she could attempt to bring some happiness back to the warrior.

Gabrielle broke the kiss, leaving them both panting hard as Xena rested her forehead against hers and smiled. "You will not lose me," Gabrielle repeated herself. "My heart is yours and I won't live without it or you, so don't try and make me."

"Gabrielle…" Xena breathed, caressing the bard's face tenderly.

They opened their eyes and locked each other in their sights, their eyes taking in every detail of the woman before them as the fire continued to burn nearby, the embers floating up into the sky. Xena could have sworn as she and Gabrielle held each other that she heard a happy chuckle lift into the air along with the smoke.

She looked over at the fire with Gabrielle in her arms. Leaning over, Xena picked up a stick and threw it into the fire.

Her friends were right. There was nothing she could have done. Selena's hate may have started out as a reaction to Xena's dark presence and influence, but Selena had decided to remain hateful after all these years. The guilt and bitterness caused by the woman's own inability to move on had left a gaping hole in her that the evil presence of Ate had filled and taken advantage of. However, Selena had been able fight at the very end and die on her own terms, free from the torment that had followed her for years. Selena had found peace in the end and knowing that, Xena understood that it was time she should seek it too.

"Goodbye, Selena."

~X~

Leandros lifted his feet and pushed them off the edge of the bed. His arms were aching, his back throbbed with pain and he felt dizzy, but his heart yearned for Juliette. He hated the thought of her being alone while she attended the private pyre in the woods with Xena and Gabrielle. He knew he should be there to show his support.

He realized that if he said it out loud that he would sound crazy, but the woman hadn't been herself when she had done it. Leandros had managed to stay conscious throughout the whole ordeal so he had overheard Selena and the goddess that had possessed her. Even though she had stabbed him, he couldn't find it in him to hate her. The old him would have, but the compassion for others Leandros had learned during his time with the warrior princess and battling bard had been a positive influence on him.

It was hard not to see that he had changed. Even Leandros himself recognized the transformation. He had grown up, freed himself from the shackles of the tormenting demons, Ivan and his gang of thugs, and had formed opinions of his own. He had fallen in love and found something worth fighting for that didn't include bloodshed or the capture and death of innocents and he couldn't be happier because of it.

Just thinking of the seer's face filled him with love and joy that temporarily numbed him of the pain throughout his body. That was until he started walking and tripped over an unseen object. He crashed to the floor, crying out in pain.

"What are you doing out of bed!" a voice chastised.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I need to see Juliette!"

"She is here you silly man!" Juliette replied. She looked around. "Where are the guards? They are supposed to be watching you."

Leandros looked up suddenly and found himself lost in Juliette's big, brown eyes. They looked back at him filled with a mixture of scolding and love. "I told them to leave the room. Don't look at me like that. It was starting to feel too crowded in here." He winced as she looped her arms around him and lifted him back into bed. "I get a little peace and quiet, and they still get to do their job."

"What were you thinking trying to get yourself out of bed? You are still healing, Leandros."

Leandros breathed with relief as his head found the pillow again, taking the strain off his back. When the seer sat on the chair beside the bed, Leandros reached out and brushed her cheek with the backs of his fingers tenderly. She closed her eyes in pleasant response to his touch. _Gods, he loved her so much!_

"Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just feel bad that I wasn't with you all. Selena wasn't exactly innocent to everything, but I still should have been there to show my support for Xena."

Juliette pulled her silvery braid forward and stroked it. "She understands."

"I would have liked to have been there nonetheless." Leandros looked at her curiously. "How is Xena?"

Leandros noticed the light dimming in Juliette's normally bright eyes. "She is holding as well as one could be after losing an old friend." She looked up with a slight smiled. "Gabrielle is with her so I think she will be alright. The bard is a good influence on her mood as well as her character."

"I agree."

While Leandros sat smiling at how the greatly respected and feared warrior turned into a puddle around the blonde bard, Juliette became noticeably quiet. He glanced up and saw her watching him with sad eyes and biting her fingernails anxiously.

"What's wrong, Juliette?"

"How is your back?"

He frowned and moved carefully, turning his torso as much as he could. "It hurts and I can't lie on my side, but the healer said that I'll survive," he grinned.

Juliette looked down and started sobbing into her hands.

Leandros reached out to her, alarmed. "Juliette? What is it, my love?"

"I had a vision that you would die with a sword in your back. I was going to tell you before Darius died, but I thought that after his men had all died that you were safe and I stayed silent." She shook her head. "My visions usually come true – I should have still told you, but I failed to protect you."

"Juliette, stop. You didn't fail. You helped…you all did, and I'm still around because of you." He brushed his fingers through her hair soothingly. His smile grew gentle as she closed her eyes and reached up to hold stroke his hand "Besides, your vision was wrong. I'm still alive aren't I?"

Juliette smiled warmly. "Yes you are. Leandros, if my visions are not always right then I am glad for the ones that are."

She reached up and placed her hand on his cheek, moving it delicately over his stubbled jaw. His eyes grew heavy as she made a sensuously soft trail over the column of his throat with her soft hands. He swallowed deeply when she gently pushed his head back until it rested against the pillow.

Once he lay on his back, Juliette removed her hand and instead made a trail over his chest, moving her fingers lower until she splayed her hand over the V opening of his thin shirt, spreading it more. His free hand came up and cupped her cheek. He brushed her skin with his thumb until the woman locked her eyes on his.

He felt the air of the room shift, as though something had changed. He suddenly felt a lot warmer and the looks the seer was giving him made his temperature start to rise along with it. With the confidence that came with knowing she loved him as much as he loved her, he lowered his hand. Using his fingers, Leandros followed a line down her arm until he reached her hand upon his chest. He grabbed it carefully and, without breaking their eye contact, gently kissed her fingertips.

"So am I," Leandros whispered huskily.

The woman closed her eyes at the contact, her head falling back and lips parting slightly as he kissed her fingers. She looked as though she fought to control her breathing as he moved his kiss across her palm to her wrist, nibbling the delicate skin there.

He wrapped his arm around her waist as he forced himself to sit up, pulling open the flouncy material of her nightdress to expose her belly. He looked over her skin, noticing the faded lines of burns and blades and kissed each scar.

"Leandros…" she breathed.

Leandros felt Juliette thread her fingers through his hair as he brushed his lips over her skin. It fluttered with anticipation under his teasing mouth, making him smile wider as he lavished her belly with loving attention. Juliette's grip tightened as he nipped at her skin with his teeth, moving his mouth higher.

"Tell me, Leandros," she rasped between his kisses. "Have you ever been intimate with another?" He stopped and looked up at her, curious as to where she was going with this. She smiled down at him. "Haven't you ever made love to a woman before?"

Leandros felt his ears turn pink. He hated the thought of looking like an inexperienced prig, but this was the woman he loved. He didn't feel lying to her about his sexual inexperience would be a good way to start a relationship, but he didn't want to disappoint her either. Still, he looked her straight in the eye and shook his head solemnly.

"No, I have not. Travelling with a bunch of vicious thieves left intimacy quite low on the list. Staying alive took priority over everything else."

Juliette gently brushed her hand through his hair. "Didn't you ever think about lying with any women that you passed as you travelled?" she asked softly. The seer may have attempted to sound uninterested but he could hear the apprehension in her voice.

Leandros looked back at her and answered honestly "The thought crossed my mind. There were many times when we would pass through a town or a village. The taverns were always filled with women, drunk and sober, beautiful and unfortunate, and Ivan and the rest always took them."

He pursed his lips, watching her as she listened. She stood beside the bed, raking her fingernails seductively over his scalp, keeping his desire for her building. "There was one woman. She was sweet and kind. She was older than me, much older, but her face still held beauty. She looked like a young maiden. One of the nights we were there, she spoke kindly and offered herself to me."

"What happened?" Juliette asked coolly.

"I couldn't do it. It is easier for some but for me? I can't lay with someone I don't love." He pulled her closer to him, pressing a kiss against her sleek belly once more. "And I love you with everything I am."

Without needing to ask her, Juliette let go and lifted her hands to her shoulders to unclasp the rest of her gown. It fell to the ground, pooling around her feet when Leandros brushed it from her shoulders, planting kisses over the newly exposed skin. Her pleasured sighs and moans reached his ears and heightened his excitement until he felt her wrap her arms around his broad, muscled shoulders.

He winced as her hand brushed too close to his injury. "Ouch,"

She moved back, her pale and beautiful face filled with horror. "Gods, I'm sorry, Leandros," she said worriedly.

He smiled and pulled her back to him. He wrapped his arm around her waist, closing off any escape. "Don't worry about it. I'm stronger than I look," he chuckled.

He felt pain lance through him when she laughed, relaxing back into his arms but he was determined not to let him bother him. His love and need for Juliette overpowered everything else. The thought of letting her walk away right now was impossible. His blood was rushing and adrenaline pumped through his veins like a raging river, unable to stop. He needed her – he wanted her, and she seemed feel the same way too.

The seer's face looked flustered, her cheeks flushed and her dark eyes heavy with need. The look of carnal desire he saw reflected back at him set his heart aflame.

Juliette smiled as she pulled her braid forward. He frowned, curious about what she was doing, but when he saw her untie it, letting it fall freely around her shoulders, his mouth grew dry. He had never seen her with her hair down and it only added to her peculiar beauty.

"You're so beautiful, Juliette."

With his eyes still on her she moved, lifting herself onto the bed. Leandros watched her diligently as she knelt on the bed, lifting herself over him until her naked body was straddling his arousal. In the new position he could see her more clearly. The moonlight trickled in through the window, spilling across her form, emphasizing her breasts and face. The silvery orb leached her skin of colour giving her a more ethereal glow that left him mesmerized. He brushed his thumbs over the satiny feel of her hips as she took his hands in her own and placed them on her.

Suddenly he felt his confidence flee him as he looked upon her once more. Would she still want him in his inexperience? What if he wasn't good enough? What if she left? The fear infected him, leaving him cold and nervous.

She seemed to sense his disquiet because she reached out and gripped his chin, tilting his head back until he was looking into her eyes again. "Everything will be okay," she vowed.

She leaned down to kiss him and he fell into it, falling deeper and deeper while she moved her hands, lifting herself again. He felt an explosion of heat in his face as her teeth grazed his bottom lip. He was surprised to hear a groan escape his throat as she began rocking against him.

"No, don't close your eyes," she breathed, cupping his face.

He forced his eyes to stay open as an unexpected fire spread throughout his body and watched her. She smiled back at him, her eyes growing ever heavier with each movement.

Every nerve in his body seemed to tingle with pleasure as Juliette moved above him and soon, he could no longer feel the pain in his back. It was as though he was never injured or that her touch healed him. Whatever it was, all he could concentrate on was the pleasurable pressure he felt building the connection he shared with Juliette grew in its intensity.

He had been waiting for someone, someone he could give his heart to and he had found that and more in Juliette. His heart yearned for her the way his body craved the touch of hers. He couldn't remember being happier than what he did whenever he was in her presence. It was as though the seer began to heal the scars of his unfortunate past, touching and caressing each one with her loving words until they faded to nothing, promising happiness instead. She made him feel like a man, something that no one else had ever done. The love that filled him created a surge that ran though him and elicited a breathy moan from the seer.

As Juliette moaned into the air he sat up and wrapped his arms around her possessively. She held him back, grasping his shoulders when he began to grind with her, searching for more friction to prolong the sensual feeling he was experiencing. They moved together, their pleasure reaching new heights as Leandros bent his head into her neck and sucked her skin. She cried out in response and the sound fed the fire burning within him, making him more insistent and eager to recreate the sound again.

Soon, they moved together faster, racing to reach the promise of release. Juliette was first. She arched into Leandros, gripping his shoulders until Leandros felt she was cutting into his skin with her nails. He groaned aloud at the strange mixture of pleasure and pain and buried his face into her shoulder, thrusting until he followed her with his own release.

Neither of them moved as they panted there, fighting to slow their breathing back to normal. Once his heart had returned to normal Juliette brushed his sweat-dampened hair aside and captured his mouth in a sweet, breath stealing kiss. She pushed him onto his back once more and nuzzled into his side, pulling the cover over them both.

"How do you feel?" she asked when he hadn't said a word.

The remnants of his orgasm still shook his body, making his muscles twitch strangely. He rolled his head until he was facing her and smiled goofily. "Like the gods are spinning the world."

She laughed at his expression and closed her eyes, laying her hand across his chest. He held her close and closed his eyes, smiling at the last words he heard before he fell to sleep. "You're so silly, my gentle warrior."

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><p><em>Hey guys. Thanks for reading. The story is almost finished but I'm thinking that I might have to change the rating to an M O_O lol Anyway, if there is anything I might have missed - spellinggrammar wise - please inform me and I'll change it. Leave a review if you can to tell me what you think and I'll update soon :) _


	49. Moving On

There was a sense of relief the following days. Xena could feel it; it was as if a breath of fresh air had swept through the town of Dreyas, cleansing the streets of all that had happened the previous weeks. The deaths of those who had fallen whilst under Ate's influence were not forgotten. Once Selena and Ate were gone, the shroud of hate that had blinded the people of Dreyas was lifted. Dazed and confused, the horrors of their loss were renewed. The townsfolk mourned their dead brothers, husbands and friends in a massive pyre that resided within the middle of the town and burned for three days. Joining them were the caravan, Juliette and her adoptive daughter, Mica, amongst them at the forefront.

Those that Ate had managed to force away with her power began to return; they came back, flying into the arms of their families and friends; the memories of their past whereabouts a blurry haze of which none could recollect. Sounds of relief, happiness and the cries of those that had lost loved ones filled the streets. It was all Xena and Gabrielle could do to watch them in silence as they stood in front of the pyre, watching the bodies of those they had unwillingly left were committed to the flames.

Krateros resumed his post as captain, more resilient and determined than before. Wearing a new scar that ran across the length of his face, the captain called orders, putting his men back into form and set about returning the town to some sort of order. Those who had survived the massacre of guards were joined by their old comrades. It was uplifting to watch them go about the streets. With surprising compassion, they offered help to the families were they could, giving what they had to return some kind of normalcy to the shell-shocked citizens so they could resume their lives in peace.

Not long after Ate had been forcibly wrenched from the town by Zeus, the temple of Aletheia was renounced as the residing place of the dark goddess and as a result, was torn down along with Selena's old tavern. Both were looked to as nothing but as symbols of evil, not that Xena could blame them. Watching the people tear it down brick by brick, denouncing Selena as evil was hard. Not only were they erasing the last piece of her old friend that remained but Selena's memory was smeared by hatred, lies and pain. The people of Dreyas would see her as nothing more than a hateful murderer, but Xena knew the truth.

Leandros volunteered to be part of a group of townsfolk who named themselves, 'The Servants of the People', when he was well enough. He and the rest of the group walked the streets, bringing food and clothes to those who had none, became a shoulder to cry on for people who had lost family members and, along with available soldiers and permission from the captain, trained the youth to hold and use wooden weapons.

Soon the town began to return to some shade of its former glory.

The streets once again became lined with makeshift stalls; the wooden racks nearby filled with the wares the proprietors were selling and the sound of. The residents went about the streets, paranoia plaguing their steps. To Xena it looked as though each of those that remained felt as if they were expecting another great evil. Gabrielle noticed too. After being asked about it Xena replied only with, "They have to learn to live again."

For their own safety, Krateros ordered a curfew that became immediately effective once the pyre had burned completely away. There was no resistance to his order. The captain became a beacon of hope for the people of Dreyas. After his resilience through the darkness, he was looked to as a powerful and compassionate man. They approached him for wisdom and guidance and became a respected icon of strength for them to follow. The position left him speechless but he took the mantle and promised to lead as best he could.

Juliette and her people filed through Dreyas, their arms full and smiles upon each of their faces. They carried with them items of their travel, the skills of healing they had learnt and before they retired to their homes, in good faith, Juliette organized her people to dance in celebration to honour the passing of the dead; a gesture that was greatly received by the town's residents. She coaxed the townsfolk into joining until all felt some sense of peace and happiness and hope trickled back into the eyes of those that remained.

Xena led Argo away from the stable. She smiled as a young boy and his older sister walked by, chattering in hopeful voices as they carried baskets of apples and wheat. Many of the women had taken to the fields to harvest the food they had left growing, taking their children with them to help with the harvest. Seeing the food, Argo whickered enthusiastically, capturing the children's attention. They approached, smiling and laughing at the caramel coloured horse.

"Horsey!" the young boy said. His eyes shined as he glanced up at Argo, pointing.

"Don't get too close, Petros," the girl warned as she eyed the horse carefully.

Xena smiled. She stroked Argo's face lovingly. "Ah, it's okay. She doesn't bite. Do you wanna pet her…Petros, was it?" she asked.

The boy's eyes widened and he looked at his sister. "Can I?"

"She really doesn't bite?" the girl asked Xena.

"Only if you're a bad guy," Xena winked. The girl smirked and nodded her consent to her brother.

Lowering the basket, Petros approached Argo carefully, shooting out his hand.

"Not too quick. You don't want to startle her," Xena said as she crouched by him. She held out her own hand, coaxing Argo to her. "Nice and easy, like this."

He nodded after watching intently and tried again, slower this time. Petros lifted and held out his hand until Argo sniffed it. Once she was sure he wouldn't hurt her, Argo pushed her muzzle into his waiting hand and snorted pleasantly. With a smile Xena stood again, resting her hands on her hips.

"See? She likes you."

Petros took his hand back, smiling. "She's really big!"

Xena patted her equine friend fondly. "She's a war horse and my best friend. Argo here has gotten me out of a lot of trouble in the past."

The warrior princess felt a shiver run up her spine as she felt a gentle hand run up her back and rest on her shoulder. Gabrielle's smiling face looked up at her. "She's not the only one," she quipped.

Xena rolled her eyes humorously. "I haven't forgotten about you either."

Gabrielle grinned and upon noticing their audience, glanced down at the children. She rested her hands on her knees and smiled at them. "Do you like horses?" she asked the boy.

Petros nodded. His eyes narrowed curiously when Argo bent her head near the bard and lipped at her hair, tugging roughly. "Does she like you?" he replied.

Gabrielle frowned up at Xena when she heard what suspiciously sounded like a laugh, but was being unsuccessfully passed off as a cough, erupted from her. The warrior shrugged and looked away as Gabrielle sorted her hair. She gave the war horse a baleful look before once again turning a smile at the children. "It's an on-going struggle but I'm sure she likes me deep down. Don't you, Argo?"

The horse turned her head away and neighed. Seeing the scowl twisting Gabrielle's mouth, Xena decided it was time to intervene the playful banter between the two. "Alright, you two. Let's play nice. Shall we?" she directed her question at Argo.

The horse pulled away and started sniffing around the children's baskets. "Could I buy one of your apples?" Gabrielle asked. Once she had one, she held it out to Argo and stared at the beast. "Here. Don't say I never get you anything."

Happy with her new gift, Argo took the apple between her teeth and chewed away at it contently as her owner looked on, amused. Xena glanced down at Gabrielle and smiled.

"What?" the bard replied. She smiled too and shook her head as she reached out to stroke Argo. "Maybe, one of these days, she'll learn to love me," she sighed wistfully.

Xena brushed her fingers through Gabrielle's hair. "She will. She's stubborn, but even someone like her won't be able to deny you anymore. You're part of the family."

The girl cleared her throat awkwardly. Realizing the town's views on sapphists, Xena and Gabrielle dropped their hands from each other and resumed a casual stance a respectful distance away from each other. Petros looked at each of them carefully before he spoke.

"Are you in love?"

Xena coughed loudly as Gabrielle stared, unsure of what to say.

"Petros!" the girl scolded, her voice filled with reproach. "You can't just ask that! I'm sorry, he's a little too curious for his own good."

"But, Aella you and father said that people in love should be a boy and a girl?"

The girl, Aella, paled as she looked up at the two women. She glanced to each of their faces, her eyes seeking forgiveness. "No, I-,"

"Yes you did!"

Aella placed her hand over her younger brother's mouth to stop him talking, blushing furiously as she looked up at the warrior and bard. "That's enough, Petros!"

Xena and Gabrielle looked at each other and after observing the girls flustered state, and the way her eyes kept unconsciously wandering over the women's' legs, they smiled in understanding. Xena kneeled in front of the young boy.

"Petros, it doesn't matter whether you fall in love with a man or a woman. Love is love and if your heart wasn't meant to feel love for the other person, then it wouldn't. You can't choose who you fall in love with; it chooses you and when it does, you count yourself lucky that you can love at all, kid." The warrior looked up at Aella and smiled. "That goes for you too. There is nothing wrong with it, no matter what anyone says. Follow your heart."

Aella seemed to catch the hidden message in Xena's words. Her eyes widened briefly as if she feared discovery, but as Gabrielle re-joined Xena, gently brushing her shoulder with her hand, Aella nodded in understanding.

"Thank you. Petros say thank you to the nice ladies," the young girl said as she began to leave.

Petros thanked them and grabbed his basket to join his sister. He smiled widely at Argo as they left. The horse whickered longingly after the apples and hoofed the ground, unhappy that her snacks were leaving with the children.

Gabrielle sighed as she watched them disappear around a corner, the girl glancing back at them for a brief moment before leaving. "She's so confused."

"She'll figure it out," Xena said as she stood and brushed the dirt off her knees. "I just hope she won't take her confusion out on anyone on her path to self-discovery."

Gabrielle looked around at the bustling streets of Dreyas. "I hope we weren't over stepping."

"You don't always find good advice from your parents, y'know."

"Yeah, I know. Anyway, that was a nice little speech back there. About the '_love is love'_. That's normally my job," Gabrielle said, bumping the warrior with her hip. "Been practicing the sensitive talks?"

Xena smirked. "Are you still questioning my ability on the subject?"

"No, just simply…curious about how you came to be so knowledgeable."

The warrior's smirk melted into a warm smile as she grabbed the bard and pulled them behind a house. She pushed Gabrielle's back against the wall and leaned in close, brushing her thumb across Gabrielle's cheek.

"My knowledge comes from experience. There's no better teacher than life. I only said what I know in my heart to be true. That love is not a choice. It hits your chest hard, like a rock, until you are gasping for breath. Then, just when you think you might die, the ability to breathe air once more is offered to you in the form of someone who takes your breath away in a whole new way. Someone who only causes you pain if you are separated from them." Xena placed her fist over her chest and looked at the young bard. "Just like your heart from your chest."

Gabrielle thought she might cry as Xena finished. It took everything she had not to cry as she smiled up into the warrior's deep blue eyes. She knew she could never love another as much as she loved Xena. The way Xena had described her love for her was what Gabrielle had always felt for the warrior. "Xena…" Gabrielle breathed.

Xena's eyes closed of their own accord as she began to lean forward for a kiss, but a quick, heavy hand on her shoulder brought her abruptly back to earth.

"Oh, sorry…I didn't realize," a voice said.

Xena sighed at the man. "Leandros? Have I ever told you that you sometimes have the worst timing?"

Leandros looked to each woman and squared his shoulder guiltily. "No, but I know I have the worst timing. Have you ever walked in on a barracks filled with men undressing and asked if they needed anything cleaning?" He looked at Gabrielle's amused face and shook his head. "I tell you, the uncomfortable, angry reaction was not unexpected but still scary to behold a bunch of half-dressed men chasing you out."

"I take it your services to the town is going well?" Xena asked as she brought the bard to her side.

Leandros nodded. "Absolutely. The town is still mourning over their loss; I can still hear people crying and cursing names, but on the whole, there is a reinvigorating sense of change. They are no longer afraid to come out of their homes. Most have taken to the field to collect harvest, taking their children with them. Speaking of children, the captain tells me that he might have a few future soldiers on his hands. Some of them are really handy with a sword. They have clipped me a few times. It felt like I'd had my hand chopped off!"

He showed the women his 'injuries' and made a face. "Well, I know it looks like there is nothing there, but it felt worse when they were pummelling me with their wooden swords. The kids are stronger than they look."

"Where's Juliette?"

Leandros looked behind him to the group of people bustling around in the town square. There were many couples and reformed families huddled together. They spoke to one another, never taking their eyes off the wooden decorated cart from Juliette's caravan as it rolled to a stop nearby.

A woman dressed in a simple slip dress stepped off the vehicle and smiled at the people, holding out her hands in welcome as she tried to coax the uncertain crowd into investigating her wares. She smiled warmly at each person as they plucked up the courage to approach and even from where they stood so far away, Xena could hear the woman's sweet voice ring out over the rest. Her calming tone appeared to work after a while as moments later the rest of the crowd displayed interest and gathered around the cart more enthusiastically. As if sensing them watching, the woman looked up over the heads of the crowd milling around her and smiled, waving.

Juliette appointed someone else in charge of watching over her cart and started over to Xena's small group. Once she reached Leandros he wrapped her arms around her and kissed her forehead lovingly.

She blushed and smiled at Xena and Gabrielle. "All packed I see?" she said, gesturing to the bags hanging off Argo's saddle.

Xena nodded and stroked her war horse. She had put all of hers and Gabrielle's stuff together and packed it all away the night before. She had known that after hearing of Selena's death that her time in Dreyas was coming to an end. "Yeah."

"Do you need anything? Water? Food? Extra clothes? Y'know, I don't think I've seen either of you dress in anything else while you've been here," he chuckled.

"We're fine. We wash them a lot," Gabrielle answered with a smile.

"I'll bet. Hey, no offence intended!" he laughed as the bard reached out to push him. He looked at Gabrielle as she moved back to Xena's side. They looked so happy. The bard fitted perfectly into Xena's side, like they were made to go together. "It does the heart good to see you together."

Xena smiled down at the woman beside her and squeezed. She glanced up at the couple before her. "Have you figured out what you two are going to do?"

"We have talked about it a lot. I have a responsibility to my family. I cannot leave them, even after everything. Mica needs a mother and I am the only one she has known. It would be unfair to force her to be with someone else," Juliette started.

"And I have nowhere," Leandros added. He looked at Juliette and smiled, pressing is forehead against hers gently. "But I have found something to live for. I can't imagine being anywhere else but Juliette's side."

"We are going to visit Egypt. Perhaps you could come with us?" Juliette asked hopefully.

"We, ah," Xena started, looking down at her bard. She smiled as Gabrielle rested her chin on the warrior's shoulder. "I think it would be best that we have some time to relax to ourselves. We've been through a lot lately, even before we came here. It would be nice to have a week without having to save someone."

Juliette nodded in understanding. Hearing the sound of childish laughter behind her she turned and saw Mica, her small adoptive daughter climbing the side of her tall cart. She turned back looking apologetic. "I'm sorry, could you excuse me? I need to stop her before she hurts herself."

The women nodded and watched as the seer rushed off to coax Mica down from where she had managed to climb onto the roof of the cart. She smiled and laughed until she saw Juliette, then her face dropped.

Leandros chuckled. "She loves trouble that one."

"Sounds like you have a soft spot for her, Leandros," Xena teased.

Gabrielle smiled. "Could you see yourself with children?" She asked curiously.

Leandros shrugged. "Maybe. Some day. The thought had passed my mind when I was with Darius and his men, but only when I thought about what I was giving up. Now that it is a possibility? Hmm," he trailed off thoughtfully.

Xena punched his arm lightly. "Don't worry about it. I think you would be a great father. You are loyal, understanding, protective and most importantly, loving. Any child would be lucky to have you. Besides," she said as they looked over at Juliette and Mica.

Juliette held Mica in her arms, smiling at her. The small child nodded at something the woman said and then wrapped her arms around Juliette's shoulder in a hug. The seer looked up and smiled when she caught them looking.

"I think you might have a child already. Mica seems quite fond of you."

Leandros felt his chest swell with love and happiness as he looked to the woman and child. Once an image cast off as a faraway and unreachable dream, Juliette and Mica stood there in stark reality. The woman he loved and her child. They were not of the same body, but they shared their hearts for one another. Now that he had opened his to them both he found it an impossible task to even think about turning away from them. They were a family, a _real_ family and they were all his.

"I will do my best for her," he vowed.

Gabrielle heard the catch in his voice as emotion rushed him. She smiled and touched his shoulder. "That's all anyone could ask for. You will do well. I know you will."

"Are you leaving today?" he asked, not looking at her.

"Yeah, we-,"

With glassy eyes, Leandros turned and caught Gabrielle in a tight hug, lifting her up off the ground before she had time to finish her sentence. He sniffed as he buried his head in her shoulder, embarrassed of the tears he felt brimming. He felt her hug him back and lowered her once more. He looked away as soon as he released her, wiping at his eyes and coughing to rescue his masculinity.

"I'll miss you, Gabrielle," he said, clearing his throat as he did. He sniffed again and risked looking at her.

Gabrielle saw the raw emotion in his eyes and felt her heart jolt at the affection she felt for him. She no longer saw him as the impatient, arrogant brat who had attacked them or the brooding and confused warrior he had been when she kissed him, but rather the friend he had come to be; the friend who had earned a piece of her heart and her trust. He stood taller with his shoulders back, his chin higher as if he had gained respect for himself, as well as others, and his eyes were filled with compassion instead of the brewing anger and contempt they had once held. He carried scars of a man, hardened by his experiences and was wiser for them.

She took his hand in hers and squeezed. "I'll miss you, too."

He smiled and stepped toward Xena, hugging her too. "Thank you for everything, Xena," he whispered in her ear. "Thank you for giving me a chance."

"You're welcome." She pulled back and patted his arm. "It was great meeting you, Leandros. You've grown into the man you have always wanted to be, instead of the one you thought you had to be." She gestured to Juliette with her chin and looked back at him. "Take care of them. They're your family, now. They need you."

"I will," he promised. He smiled and put his hands in his pockets. "Going to Egypt will be the first time I've been away from Greece. Adventure awaits, right? But, y'know what? Before I go, I want to spread Darius's ashes back in our home village." His expression became solemn. "I want his resting place to be our real home. Maybe he will find peace there and I will be able to move on."

"A noble gesture, Leandros. I know you will do the right thing."

Juliette re-joined them with Mica in her arms. The girl wriggled excitedly until she found herself deposited in Leandros's waiting arms, an amused smile on his face. He nodded at Xena and Gabrielle one last time before he turned and walked back to the caravan.

Juliette sighed happily. "He will make such a wonderful father."

"Yeah," the warrior and bard said together.

The seer turned back to them and held out her arms. She pulled both women into a hug and pulled back, smiling fondly at each of them. "Thank you for everything. I know your mission did not go as planned, but you saved a lot more than you think you did."

"I know," Xena replied. "We did what we could. It was just a little deeper than I originally thought. The loss of Selena and the guards were unexpected and they won't be taken lightly."

The warrior laced her fingers with Gabrielle's. "For either of us," she finished.

Juliette nodded and stepped back. "It is a shame you will not be able to join us in Egypt. I've heard it is nice."

"If you see Cleopatra, tell her Xena says hello."

"You know her?"

"You would be surprised who I know." Xena smirked. "Goodbye, Juliette"

Juliette smiled as she started walking away. "We will meet again, Xena. This is not goodbye." She finally waved at them one last time and headed back.

Xena watched them together and smiled. Though there had been a lot of death in the past week, the promise of life the image of her friends together as a family gave her faith that maybe things would get better. She smiled wistfully until she felt something tug her hand.

"Xena?" She looked down at the bard and saw the woman looking back up at her expectantly. "Are you okay?"

The warrior nodded and grabbed Argo's reins as she looked at the town for one last time. "Yeah, I will be. C'mon, let's get outta here."

* * *

><p><em>Hey guys! Guess what? This would be the last official chapter of my first fanfiction story :D Can't believe it. This is the first story I've ever finished...in my life, so thanks for being there on the adventure with me, giving advice where you could and words of support. I have really enjoyed your feedbackreviews. They really gave me the push I needed to get this finished. I have an epilogue planned so that will be up soon, but I want to say a big thank you to you all. You made it worth while ;) Keep watching for the sequel around Fall/Winter time :)_

_Anyway - same requests apply. If you want to get in touch I am on Facebook under my fanfiction penname. Sneak peeks etc will be released on there. Hope to hear from you soon :D_

_Happy reading!_


	50. Epilogue

Aphrodite sauntered into her room, a smile on her face. As soon as she reached the mirror her smile widened even further. She couldn't get over how great she looked. After the ordeal with the rogue goddess, Ate, and her return to chains, everything had started returning to normal. With the mortal's prayers her powers returned to her in a rush. The sensation had taken her by surprise but it had not been unpleasant. It had hit her when she and the other gods had returned to Olympus almost immediately after helping the mortals. The combination of Cupid's bow returning to working order and the mortal's prayers made a big difference. The negativity that had claimed everyone lifted and Aphrodite couldn't feel happier for it. She felt livelier and sexier. The love goddess had returned.

She fingered the curls of her hair, twirling them and bit her lip as she gazed at her devastating reflection. "Boy, you look good."

"I couldn't agree more."

Aphrodite grinned. There was no way she couldn't mistake the gravelly tone for anyone else. "Heph, what are you doing in my room? Aren't you supposed to be checking out all the weapons to make sure they haven't been tampered with?"

"Already done," he replied and she heard the smile in his tone.

"Hmm, so?"

Hephaestus rested his hand on the love goddess's shoulder, gliding it over her luxurious, creamy skin. "I couldn't bear the thought of being away from you," he said and kissed her neck.

Closing her eyes, Aphrodite savoured the touch of his lips against her skin. She could think of nothing better than the idea of falling into his arms and making love to him like they used to, but she still had a job to do. With great reluctance she pulled away from him. As she turned to face him she took his hands and looked up at Hephaestus, smiling at the look of confusion in his face.

"Easy, big boy, there will be time for that later. There's a couple of things I've gotta do – people I gotta see."

He caught her hand as she made to turn, spinning her back to him. "So are you saying there is a chance for us again, Aphrodite?"

The goddess looked up into his eyes and found herself momentarily lost in the mixture of love, hope and fear that dwelled within them. She patted his cheek fondly before breaking away from him. "There's always a chance. I can't think of anything I would like more."

~X~

Gabrielle sighed happily and laced her fingers behind her head as she peered up at the night sky. The stars dotted the blackness and twinkled like diamonds. There wasn't a cloud in the sky as the night rolled in making the view quite spectacular. It looked peaceful and reflected the way she felt within.

"Hey, Xena?" she asked.

Beside her, the warrior yawned. She felt so tired and after the fortnight they'd had, she needed her rest. "Hmm?" she managed to mumble.

"What do you suppose is out there?"

Xena opened her eyes to look at whatever it was Gabrielle was talking about. She looked past Gabrielle's pointing finger to the sky and saw nothing. "Out where?"

"There," Gabrielle prodded toward the sky, gesturing to it all, "Past the Earth, stars and the clouds. Do you think there is just more out there? People like us on other stars, or do you think there's nothing? That we're the only ones?"

"In the cosmos?"

"Yeah."

Xena lifted herself up onto her elbows and stifled a yawn. As she looked out at the darkened sky she thought about the existence and found it didn't seem like such a silly idea, but with her combined tiredness and hunger, her crankiness leaked through. "Why are you still awake contemplating the universe when you should be sleeping?"

"I thought you'd be awake."

"And thought I'd want to spend my night talking about stars and planets." Xena rolled her eyes and closed them, dropping her head back onto the bag she was using as a pillow. "Get some sleep."

Gabrielle looked over at her and smiled. She noticed the way the low flames threw shadows across the warrior's face and couldn't resist reaching out to touch her. "The reason I asked was because it just got me thinking about destiny, the future…us,"

Xena looked back at the bard and felt her stomach flutter. She had always dreamed of Gabrielle's touching her this way, but the casual ease of the gesture made her happier than she had imagined in her head. It was as though it was completely normal for Gabrielle to reach out and cup her cheek and gaze fondly into her eyes.

"And, ah, what about us?" Xena replied.

"I've been wondering. I love you, Xena. I do, I really do, but I've never, um…" she trailed off looking embarrassed. She looked to the warrior imploringly, hoping she could fill in the blanks without her needed to explain. In the end she gave up and sighed heavily. "You have had experience with other women and, well," Gabrielle bit her lip. "When we…I want it to be right."

Xena smiled at the bard's concern. "Gabrielle, there's no rush. I don't expect you to do anything you don't want, or aren't ready to do, just because I've declared my love for you."

"But how will I,-?"

"Gabrielle?" Xena interrupted, placing a finger over Gabrielle's lips. "When your heart is ready you will know."

Feeling a tingling at the back of her neck, Xena dropped her hand. There was a god nearby but she didn't feel a malevolent presence. She relaxed somewhat but stood ready just in case.

"Where are you going?" Gabrielle asked.

Xena looked into the trees nearby and saw the blonde goddess start walking toward them. She smiled down at the bard. "We have a visitor."

Gabrielle stood quickly, grabbing her staff as she moved to Xena's side.

"Hey guys!" Aphrodite said as she approached.

Seeing her immortal friend, Gabrielle smiled and rushed forward into Aphrodite's arms. She pulled back and looked up at the striking blonde. "Aphrodite! What are you doing here? Is there more trouble?"

"Ate didn't escape again, did she?" Xena asked seriously.

Aphrodite waved her hand. "Nah, dads still got her shacked up in some immortal cell somewhere. Heph volunteered to put in overtime to make sure she won't get out again. Her screams of outrage tell me she likes it," the goddess grinned broadly.

"She gets what she deserves," Xena scowled. "After everything she's done."

"I don't disagree with you there. She's going to be away for a long time after what she did. Influencing Hephaestus to sabotage Cupid's bow without him knowing is a big no-no. Poor Heph. He was going out of his mind trying to figure out how it happened." Aphrodite put her hands on her hips. "My boy is sweeping through Dreyas at the moment to try and help. It was a shame so many died, but he's working to put some love back in the people. Hopefully they'll find solace and happiness eventually." Suddenly the goddess smiled at the two women. The expression nearly took up her whole face.

"Anyway, that isn't why I'm here." She squealed and linked arms with the bard and warrior, shuffling closer excitedly. "You two! Aww, I'm so happy you finally stopped being so dense and opened your eyes. It's been driving me nuts watching you both all these years and not being allowed to do anything!"

Xena and Gabrielle glanced at each other, then away, smiling like love-struck teenagers as they grasped one another's hand. "Thank you, Aphrodite. It wasn't easy but…I found my heart eventually," Gabrielle said.

With twinkling eyes Aphrodite nudged the young bard with her elbow and smirked. "I knew you would. It was all just a matter of time but waiting for it to happen sucked." She looked up at Xena and pointed. "And you!"

Xena took a step back, her eyes wide with the goddess's sudden seriousness. "Me? What?"

"Get a clue, huh? It was painful to watch you struggle – both of you. You're smarter than that, Xena." Aphrodite smiled softly at them both and her face lit up anew with happiness at the new couple. "N'aww, look after each other, 'kay? Finding love is only the beginning. It doesn't get any easier. You won't be just friends anymore and that's a big step from where you were to where you are going to be."

Xena raised an eyebrow at the goddess after appraising Gabrielle's suddenly anxious expression. "Gee, Aphrodite, you really know how to make things sound fun," she sighed.

"I'm just tryin' to help my favourite warrior and bard duo. I want you two to be happy." She bent to pat Gabrielle's cheek fondly. "You'll be fine. It'll work out, sweet pea. Don't look so worried."

Gabrielle smiled and nodded. "Thank you, we appreciate your – hey, where are you going?"

Aphrodite turned in mid walk to look back at them, causing the diaphanous material of her gown to float around her form. "There are a couple of boys I need to go see. They're just as dim as the both of you," she jested lightly, winking at them. "If they're destined to conquer the Known World together, they need to see what's in front of them first."

The information peaked Xena's interest. She stepped forward. "Who's destiny?"

The goddess tapped her nose, smiling. "Ah-ah, that would be telling," she said and snapped her fingers, disappearing in a flutter of hearts and sparks.

Both women watched the space their friend disappeared. When they finally turned their heads to look at each other, their expressions mirrored the others.

"I wonder who she was talking about."

Xena raised an eyebrow when an image flittered in to her mind. She smiled then at the harmless blonde face of the young boy she saw in her vision. "I think I know who she means. If I'm right, he will make a good leader one day. He's the son of a man named, Philip. I didn't catch his name though," she replied to Gabrielle's confused expression.

"Oh, okay. I don't know who that is," the bard said as they walked back over to their bedrolls.

Xena looped her arm around Gabrielle and pulled herself closer until her body slid in place along Gabrielle's back. The motion felt right, completely natural – as if she had done it every day for a decade. When she felt the bard move under her, shuffling her body back until they both fit snugly under the furs made Xena smile and her stomach tighten with affection and excitement.

Neither of them noticed that Gabrielle took Xena's hand in her and placed it over her chest, just beneath her chin, and stroked the back of it lovingly with her thumb as they spoke.

"He was only about thirteen summers when I last saw him, but he showed great promise as a warrior and a leader even as a child. I was in his home stealing food, but because I wasn't caught, I just left. Not before I saw him tame a great beast of a horse, though. It trampled everyone else, but the boy seemed to tame him somehow. Even with the way I was, I could appreciate talent when I saw it, and this boy had it in him."

"He sounds like he'll be great." Gabrielle smiled and kissed the back of Xena's hand. "Just like you."

She swallowed, anxiously waiting in the dark as she stared at the flames from their little camp fire. Gabrielle didn't know where they were exactly in their new relationship – everything was so new. She didn't know what was expected; only that she wanted to kiss the warrior and was too shy to say anything after their talk earlier, both alone and with Aphrodite.

She had to admit it to herself. The goddess's words had scared her a little. The bard knew as sure as her name was Gabrielle that she loved the warrior with all her heart, but she couldn't bear the thought of losing Xena. What if something went wrong? What if things didn't work out? Would they be able to return back to being friends?

Suddenly, Gabrielle felt Xena's hand snake over her stomach; her thumbnail gently grazing over the exposed skin and making the muscles twitch with anticipation. She closed her eyes, loving the sensation, imagining the warrior's fingers dancing delicately over her stomach and the path they were making. Taking Gabrielle's breathy sigh as encouragement, Xena continued. However, when Gabrielle's felt Xena's hand brush over the top of her skirt, the bard froze and grabbed Xena's hand. Xena felt her stiffen and kissed Gabrielle's cheek.

"I'm sorry," Gabrielle apologized. She frowned in confusion. _What was wrong with her?_

"Gabrielle, it's okay," Xena breathed into her ear. The warrior brought her hand back up and looped it around the bard protectively.

Gabrielle turned in Xena's arms and sighed. "I don't know-,"

Xena kissed the bard long and slow, making the bard's doubt fly out of the window as she fell willingly into the kiss. When Xena pulled away, Gabrielle was left grinned. "Gabrielle, don't be sorry. You're not ready." Xena brushed a loose strand of the bard's golden hair behind her ear and kissed the young woman's forehead. "I understand."

Feeling happier than she could remember being in a long time, Gabrielle smiled and revelled in the knowledge that she was in love and loved in return with the warrior of her heart. Xena's love and understanding knew no bounds and it only made Gabrielle love her more. She smiled broadly at the striking blue eyes gazing back at her in the dark and reached out to cup the woman's cheek.

"I love you, Xena."

Xena smiled back at the bard knowing that the words held new meaning to the both of them. "I love you, too, Gabrielle," she whispered, sealing their night with a loving kiss.

* * *

><p><em>Hey guys. I know some of you were unsatisfied with the ending because X &amp; G didn't 'hook up', but this is a character driven story. If they aren't ready, I'm not ready to write it. Their relationship will continue to develop in the sequel where 'hooking up' will be a possibility as everything in this book has been a creative challenge for me to overcome. <em>

_Again, thanks for your support, guys. I really appreciate your thoughts and reviews._

_**This story is dedicated to my inspiration, SilvermoonlightGJ, who without her encouragement, this story would not exist. (Go check out her stories. You'll love them - I do ;D) **_

_Until For Love's Sake: Royal Pains...happy reading! :D_


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